


You Can't Hurry Love

by covarla



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Hale Family, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Stiles, Everyone Is Alive, M/M, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Mates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2019-09-23 22:49:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 37,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17089229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/covarla/pseuds/covarla
Summary: In which Stiles and Peter bond over instant messages and borrowed books but keep missing each other in person.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ragga](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ragga/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still waiting on a good chunk of this to be beta-d, but I hope to have the rest posted tomorrow or Sunday. Hope you all enjoy what I have ready so far.

The Hale house looked like any other farm house, except even more massive and missing the farm part. Stiles studied the three floors and the wraparound porch as he and Scott climbed out of the Jeep. He pulled a pie from the back seat, handing it over to Scott before leaning back in for two more. It took a little balancing, and maybe a tiny tendril of magic, to keep them both from falling as he shut the door and made his way up the front steps. But, then he faced the dilemma of having his hands full and not being able to knock. Stiles shuffled to the side to let Scott get closer to the door. He gave Scott a pointed look and jerked his head at the door, but Scott wasn’t even paying attention. Instead, his friend looked so nervous he was starting to go a little pale. Stiles resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He had just turned back to the door and was considering whether using his foot or magic to knock would be the least offensive to the Hales, when the door opened.

“You’re here!” Cora beamed at them from the open doorway. And then her eyes lasered in on the things in his hands. “OMG, you brought me pie like I asked! Stiles, please tell me these are your homemade pies and you didn’t let Scott talk you into just buying them.” Before he could respond, Cora had snatched one of the pies from his hand, lifting the foil to deeply inhale the scent of pumpkin.

Stiles chuckled. “One pumpkin, one blueberry, and one pecan, from scratch as requested,” he said. He followed Cora into the house once she stepped aside. 

“You are the best!” Cora called over her shoulder. “I’m keeping you.” 

“I think your boyfriend will have something to say about that,” a voice called from the kitchen. 

Cora only laughed, waving a hand dismissively as she entered the kitchen with Stiles and Scott trailing after her. “Isaac is fine with sharing as long as he gets some of Stiles’s cooking too. We’ve had this discussion.”

Stiles couldn’t help blushing at that, which was a great first impression to make when he stepped into the kitchen full of people. His eyes went immediately to a tall woman standing at the stove. There was an aura of power to her that had his magic pinging. “Alpha Hale,” he greeted with a slight dip of his head. “This is Alpha Scott McCall,” he introduced, waving his free hand towards Scott. “I’m the pack’s Emissary, Stiles Stilinski.”

Talia Hale turned from the stove with a warm smile. “No need to be so formal,” she said. “Please, call me Talia.” She reached forward to take the pie from Stiles and set it on the counter. “Cora, pie comes after dinner,” Talia said while relieving Scott of the pie he carried. Cora flinched from behind her mother, but smoothed back down the foil and placed the pumpkin pie with the others.

One of the people sitting at the table moved, drawing Stiles’s attention. “Derek,” he greeted. Derek nodded without looking up from his book. Stiles studied the other two people in the kitchen. He thought he recognized the girl at the table, a little older than Derek but with the same Hale features. “Laura, right?”

“The one and only,” she replied with a wide grin. Laura stood and came over to shake their hands. 

Stiles hesitated on the man who had seamlessly slid in to take over the cooking while Talia had been talking to them. Talia noticed his hesitation and turned with a fond smile on her face. “This is my husband, Steven.” She rested a hand on his shoulder. Steven turned then, giving a little wave to Stiles and Scott in between stirring. “I thought we might keep the initial meeting small,” Talia continued as she set out serving bowls and a platter, “and then when you all come home for winter break, we can do something larger with both packs.”

“That sounds great,” Scott said, eager as a puppy. He beamed at Talia for a moment before turning to look at the others. “Cora and Derek have met everyone already. And I think Allison said that you’ve met her and her dad before?” He turned a questioning look at Talia.

Talia’s lips thinned a little, but her voice was still perfectly polite when she answered. “Yes, I’ve met the Argents. While I had no love for Gerard, Chris is… different.” Talia paused as she pulled a pot off of the stove and began transferring the contents, mashed potatoes Stiles guessed, to a serving bowl. “I have to admit that I found it a bit odd that he and his daughter have allied with your newly formed pack after all this time staying neutral.”

Stiles saw the heart eyes start to form in Scott’s eyes and jumped in before they had to suffer through a diatribe about how awesome Allison is. “Allison is Scott’s Mate,” he announced in a dry voice. “And is, of course, perfectly wonderful and has no problems with dating a werewolf.”

Talia raised an eyebrow at his tone, but Laura burst out laughing. “Why, Stiles, do I detect a bit of jealousy?” Laura asked.

“No.” He bit out, and then sighed. He glanced at Talia and Steven, but neither seemed to have taken offense at his tone. He shifted uncomfortably. This wasn’t really a topic he felt comfortable talking to virtual strangers about, but…. They were supposed to be building trust and relationships between their two packs. He supposed trusting them with a small admission like this would be a step in the right direction. “It’s frustrating being the single one surrounded by people who have already found their Mates.” He waved a hand at his friends. “Cora and Isaac. Scott and Allison. Lydia and Jackson. Erica and Boyd.” He ticked each one off with a finger, then waved a hand at himself. “Humans don’t exactly get the same advantages to finding partners….”

Laura leaned in to throw an arm over Stiles’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, you’ll get there. I mean, Derek hasn’t found his Mate yet and he has a much worse personality than you seem to. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

“Hey!” Derek chucked an apple at Laura’s face, but she simply snatched it out of the air. She opened her mouth to respond, but then paused and seemed to be listening to something that Stiles couldn’t hear. 

“That will be Alan,” Talia said as she leaned down to open the oven and pull a delicious smelling roast out. “Cora, would you get the door? Laura, Derek, why don’t you take the boys into the dining room and keep them company.”

“No problem,” Laura said, using her arm still around Stiles’s shoulder to steer him towards the door. “Alan is mom’s Emissary,” she explained as she pulled Stiles along. She snagged Scott with her other arm on her way past. Somehow she managed to steer them both into the other room without it being incredibly awkward. Stiles blamed werewolf reflexes and general Hale weirdness. She herded Scott and Stiles into seats towards the middle of the table before sliding into the open seat next to Stiles. 

“How’s your dissertation coming?” Scott asked Derek as he started to settle into a seat across from them.

Derek glared at Scott. He pushed back to his feet and mumbled something about getting them drinks. Stiles winced. “That good, huh?” Derek didn’t respond to him either.

Laura waved a hand as if to dismiss their concern. “Don’t worry about it. Everyone’s asked him about it and I think he’s just getting tired of the question, you know?” She leaned on her elbow to turn and look at them. “What are you two studying? I don’t think Cora mentioned.”

“I’m in the Veterinary program,” Scott said with a proud smile. “I like working with animals.”

“I’m working on a History degree.” Stiles shrugged, anticipating the usual next question. “No idea what I’m going to do with it yet.” He waved his hand and let a little bit of his magic manifest in a bit of sparkly colors around his fingers. “This kinda throws all my plans up in the air. I thought about joining the FBI and going into law enforcement, like my dad, but now… I dunno.” He shrugged again.

Laura gave him a sympathetic look. “You’ll figure it out eventually,” she said softly. 

Derek returned to the room then with pitchers of what looked like water and iced tea. Behind him came Cora and Steven, both carrying serving bowls. Cora shot Stiles and Scott a grin as she set down a heaping bowl of mashed potatoes. She plopped down into the seat on Scott’s other side, bumping into him on purpose as she did so. Scott laughed and shoved back. Stiles rolled his eyes. “Children,” he chided before it could devolve into a wrestling match. Again. Scott gave him a sheepish look. Then, his eyes caught on someone behind Stiles and widened comically.

“Doctor Deaton!?”

Stiles whipped around and, sure enough, there was Alan Deaton standing in the doorway. The man smiled slightly as he slipped into the room. “Scott, Stiles,” Deaton greeted before taking a seat next to Derek. 

“You know each other?” Talia asked. She set a platter with the roast down on the table, but her eyes were focused on Scott. 

“I work for him,” Scott said in a choked voice. “At the veterinary office.” Scott turned to look at Stiles. He could tell there was going to be so much flailing about this when they were alone. He hoped the look he was giving Scott conveyed just how much his mind was totally blown.

“Enough with the freaky mindlink, boys,” Cora teased. Stiles rolled his eyes at her, but straightened in his chair to face forward again. Cora leaned forward to address her mother, who had sat down at the head of the table with Steven across from Laura on her other side. “Even before the magic and the bite, these two were freakily in sync. It’s weird.”

He opened his mouth to explain that it was a best friend bond, but Talia spoke up before he could. “Cora never did mention what happened to the Alpha who bit you, Scott,” Talia said. She was serving herself and Steven roast from the dish in front of her, but Stiles suspected the question wasn’t nearly as casual as it seemed. She looked up at them as she handed the dish over to Laura. “Obviously he died if the power passed along to you.” There was a flash of red in her eyes. It felt like a challenge.

Stiles rested a hand on Scott’s leg under the table. He felt the muscles there tense, but squeezed slightly. He leaned forward slightly so he could look directly at Talia. “He came to regret his decision to bite people without permission,” Stiles said. His magic reacted to his memories of that time. He didn’t think he’d ever forget all the screaming, running, and thinking that they were going to die. They had been lucky. If Allison hadn’t been there and Stiles hadn’t suddenly had his magic kickstarted….

He knew that his magic was leaking out of his shields, but he couldn’t bring himself to rein it in just yet. Beside him, Laura started to lean away, whether a conscious reaction to his scent or a subconscious reaction to his magic, Stiles wasn’t sure. She set the platter of meat down beside him as if not even wanting to risk touching him. Across from them, Deaton’s eyes widened. Stiles knew what he was likely seeing - magic lashing around behind Stiles like fox tails. Stiles barely spared the man a glance, however. He focused on Talia Hale instead. “He was crazy and rabid and had to be put down, so I killed him.”

At Talia’s simple nod, Stiles relaxed. His magic folded back up into his shields and he smiled, an actual honest smile. “And since I’m not a werewolf, the power flowed to Scott since he apparently had the Alpha potential anyways.” He shrugged and speared a chunk of roast with the serving fork. Stiles slid the meat onto his plate and passed the dish to Scott.

Cora clapped her hands in delight. “Ooo, I love when dark!Stiles comes out to play,” she said. “Too bad Peter isn’t here to see it. You could take turns creeping the rest of us out.”

Stiles shot a fond look over at Cora. “You eat peanut butter on your pizza,” he pointed out. “That is not normal and a sure sign that you are, in fact, the creepiest of us all.”

Across the table, Derek recoiled from her in disgust. “That is disgusting,” he said with a very judgmental raised eyebrow. “Why would you do such a thing?”

“Because it tastes good!” Cora threw her hands up, only managing not to let her fork go flying by quick werewolf reflexes. “It’s salty and sweet! That’s a thing.” She huffed at her brother for a moment before turning to her parents. “Where is Peter by the way? I thought he was going to be here.”

Talia’s smile was somewhere between fond and exasperated. “He heard about an estate sale from a former Shaman and paid probably a ridiculous amount of money to have first pick. He promised he would be back in time for Thanksgiving dinner.”

“That sounds amazing,” Stiles breathed in awe. “The books that must be in that collection.”

Laura chuckled. She nudged Stiles in the side to get his attention so she could pass along a dish of peas and carrots. “You and Peter will definitely get along then. I’m sure if you ask nicely he’ll let you borrow something from his public collection.”

Stiles absentmindedly spooned some vegetables on his plate. “Public collection? There’s a private collection?” He passed along the bowl and wondered what kind of books would be in a werewolf’s private collection.

“The rare ones he keeps up in his room and won’t let anyone borrow,” Derek explained. He nodded a head towards the hallway. “He doesn’t mind lending out the ones in the library downstairs though. As long as you ask first.” Derek wrinkled his nose. “He gets cranky if he can’t find a book he’s looking for.”

“Peter says you can borrow two books, as long as mom says it’s okay,” Cora announced. She waved her phone at Stiles when he gave her a surprised look. “I’ll show you around _after_ dinner.” She gave his plate a pointed look.

“Forget to eat once or twice and you never live it down,” he muttered under his breath. Of course, he was surrounded by werewolves, as he was reminded when Talia chuckled. 

“I don’t have any problems sharing our resources,” Talia said. She looked over at Deaton and continued when he nodded. “I would like to formally welcome your pack into Hale territory, Alpha McCall.” She smiled again when Scott immediately stammered out his thanks. “I think our families will get along well together.”

“Speaking of families,” Steven said, “please let your parents know that we’re available if they have any questions. I imagine suddenly learning about the supernatural can be quite a shock.”

Stiles chuckled. Shock was a bit of an understatement. “You’re going to regret that,” he said. He laughed again when Talia raised an eyebrow at him. Even Derek was looking at him incredulously. “Dad has started going through cold cases looking for a supernatural angle. He’s going to show up with a box full of case files, you can count on that.”

Laura started cackling. She worked in the DA’s office, so she knew what they were going to be in for. “Oh my god,” she breathed out in between laughs. “I can’t wait for that conversation.”

Talia exchanged another meaningful glance with Deaton. “It could be quite beneficially having someone in law enforcement with knowledge of the supernatural,” Deaton said eventually. “It has certainly come in handy in the past.”

“Ummm. My mom is a nurse,” Scott said glancing between Deaton and Talia. “She had all of these questions about healing factors and disease immunity and stuff. Chris was able to answer some of it, but I think she still has some things she was wondering about. I’m sure she’d appreciate talking to you as well.”

“We’d love to have her over, Scott.” Talia smiled at them. She turned to look past them. “Now, Cora, you never did tell me how your history paper went.”

Stiles relaxed back into his seat. He bumped his leg against Scott’s and smiled when Scott bumped back. Talia could have made their lives incredibly difficult if she hadn’t welcomed them into what was technically her territory. Mr. Argent had told them plenty of stories about bitten wolves being forced to move or worse, killed outright by packs that saw them as a threat. Stiles hadn’t really thought that would be the case based on what he knew of Cora and Derek, but there had always been that worry at the back of his brain. Instead, he found himself liking the family. He was looking forward to getting to know the rest of them. He glanced over at Laura as she said something teasing to Cora. Stiles could definitely see himself becoming friends with her. And probably the Peter that Cora mentioned, if only for access to his books.

After they finished eating, Talia and Steven brought in Stiles’s pies. There were murmurs of appreciation as they were passed around. “You’re going to love these, mom,” Cora said, taking a piece from the pecan pie.

“It’s a good thing you can’t get fat,” Derek said with a pointed look at her plate, which had a piece of each pie on it. 

Cora stuck her tongue out at her brother, much to the amusement of everyone else at the table. “I seem to remember someone eating a whole container of Stiles’s cookies last year….”

“This is quite good,” Talia said, drawing their attention before Cora and Derek could start bickering. “Thank you, Stiles.”

Stiles blushed and gave a tiny shrug. “I like cooking,” he said. “I was making pies for tomorrow anyways, so it wasn’t any trouble to make extras.”

“Well, there’s one career prospect for you,” Laura said, throwing an arm around his shoulder. “Open a bakery and I’ll be your number one customer.” She glanced over at Cora’s three slices of pie. “Well, maybe number two,” she corrected. 

Stiles laughed. He glanced over at Deaton, who was quietly talking to Scott about one of their patients. Before they went back to school, Stiles was going to have to find time to ask Deaton how he managed to balance having a career with being an Emissary. Beacon Hills seemed like a pretty quiet town. There had been a few newsworthy incidents over the years, like the deaths of Kate and Gerard Argent and a random animal attack one time, but nothing that would have screamed supernatural. Now, he was wondering if maybe he should follow his father’s example and go back and look at those things.

“Come on,” Cora said, nudging him in the back and breaking him out of his thoughts.

He blinked to find the others rising to clear the table. Stiles scrambled up. He started to reach for a plate, but Cora grabbed his arm and dragged him away. She led him down the hall a short ways. There was a closed door that he hadn’t really paid much attention to when they had passed it before. Now, he would have to memorize its location, because he knew this was going to become his favorite room in the Hale house.

The room that Cora led him to was covered with shelves along all the walls, spanning almost all the way to the ceiling and even built around the windows and doorway. There wasn’t a lot of furniture, just a large wooden desk, a couple of plush chairs, and some small end tables. Other than that it was just books. So many books. 

“I live here now,” Stiles breathed, much to Cora’s amusement.

He started at the shelf next to the door and began to read the spines. He moved around the room slowly, learning the way the books were organized. Stiles had to admire the meticulous way the books were grouped into categories and then sorted by subject and then author. There were novels, history books, biographies, just about any subject he could imagine. He stopped when he came across the books about the supernatural. Stiles couldn’t resist bringing his hand up to lightly trail his fingertips along the spines. He turned to look back at Cora. “How am I supposed to choose just two?”

Cora laughed and shook her head. She pulled a thick journal out of the top drawer in the desk. “Read two, bring them back over break, and then you can borrow more.” She tapped her finger on the journal. “Be sure to write down which two in here. Think of it like the public library. Peter likes a record of who has what so he can track them down if he needs a book back.”

Stiles found himself smiling at that. He liked a guy that took his books seriously. “I will,” he promised before turning back to the shelves. Choices, choices.

*************

Stiles was a lot less nervous the next time he pulled up to the Hale house, only a few days later. He hopped out of the Jeep and grabbed the two books he’d borrowed from the back seat. “I’m just going to return these,” he said as Scott climbed out of the passenger seat to join him. “Then we’ll be on the road.”

Scott shrugged. “As long as I can still make dinner with Alison.”

“Promise.” Stiles knocked lightly on the door, knowing the werewolves inside probably already knew they were here.

“Stiles,” Laura greeted warmly. She pulled him and Scott into a warm hug. “Back so soon?” Laura stepped aside, waving them into the house.

He raised the books he was carrying. “Just wanted to return these before we head back to Berkeley.”

Laura raised an eyebrow at him. “You didn’t have to do that,” she said with a slight frown. “I’m sure Peter won’t mind if you wait until you’re finished with them to return them.” 

“I, uh…” His words were cut off by the noise of Cora thundering down what sounded like two sets of stairs. She launched herself down the last few steps to land in a crouch behind Laura. 

“You are such a dork,” she said fondly. “I suppose you want to borrow more.”

“I… Yeah.” Stiles glance at Laura and blushed a little. “I’m a fast reader,” he explained sheepishly. 

Laura just shrugged. “You and Derek must get along. He’s quite the nerd, you know.” She cocked her head. Suddenly the werewolves in the room where grinning. “Are too,” Laura called up the stairs. She looked back at Stiles. “You know the drill.” She waved a hand towards the library before walking past them into the living room where a bunch of case files were spread out over the couch and the coffee table.

Stiles waved at her before following Cora down the hallway. He went straight to the supernatural section and put the books he’d borrowed back in their spots. He already knew which two he wanted to borrow next. It only took him a moment of scanning the shelf before he pulled out two new books. “Is Peter around?” 

“Nah.” Cora had already pulled out the little library journal and crossed out the two entries from the previous two books. “He went out for a run. Not sure when he’ll be back.” She raised an eyebrow at him. “Why?”

“I just wanted to thank him for letting me borrow the books.” Stiles took the pen she held out to him and started to write in the new titles with his name next to them. “Can you let him know I appreciate it?”

Cora pulled out her phone and type out a short message. When she put her phone away, his dinged. “Tell him yourself. I sent you his email, so you can nerd out at each other.” 

Stiles chuckled. He held the two books close to his chest. “Will do,” he promised. He collected Scott from where he was talking to Talia in the living room and waved goodbye to Laura. Derek was packing up his car when they stepped outside. “See you at school,” he called as they passed.

“Drive safe,” Derek said, before turning towards the house. “Come on, Cora. I’d like to leave some time today.”

There was a shout from the house, but Stiles couldn’t quite make out whatever it was Cora had said. He shook his head and decided he didn’t want to know. He carefully packed the books into his bag. Stiles grinned at Scott as he started back towards the main road. “Berkeley here we come!”

It wasn’t until much later, after dropping Scott off at Alison’s dorm and grabbing something from the local pizzeria for his own dinner that Stiles had a chance to sit down and check the message that Cora had sent him. He wasn’t sure what he had been expecting, but the generic professional sounding email address was a little disappointing. 

To: peter.hale@gmail.com  
From: whatsastiles@gmail.com

_Hi! This is Stiles, Cora’s friend. I wanted to thank you for letting me borrow the last two books. Cora said it would be okay if I borrowed two more. She showed me your library journal, so that was updated before we headed back to school._

_I was also wondering if I could maybe email you if I had any questions?_

_Thanks again,_

_Stiles Stilinski_

He leaned back and read the message two more times before deciding it was good enough. Cora’s uncle seemed like the type that might appreciate a good book discussion. At worst, Peter said no. Then, Stiles would just find a way to get Deaton’s email address and bother him instead. And probably Derek too. Maybe Cora if she was in a good mood. He would be the first to admit that he got a little excited about new books. Learning about the supernatural had opened whole realms of research he’d never considered before. Which reminded him that he had two new books.

Stiles rolled away from his desk to pull the books out of his bag. He curled up on his bed with the smaller of the two. It was a handwritten journal that had been written by a witch in New Mexico. The writing was cramped and there were a few smudged areas where it seemed like something wet had gotten on the pages, but totally worth the eye strain for a first hand account of how someone else’s magic worked.

“You have an eight am class tomorrow,” Scott said, startling Stiles. He looked up from the book to find Scott leaning in the open doorway to Stiles’s room. “The book will be there in the morning.” Scott gave him a pointed look before turning to head into his own bedroom. 

Stiles glanced at the clock and groaned when he saw that it was already past midnight. He got up and put the book on the far side of his desk, so he wouldn’t be tempted to grab it again to keep reading. He kept glancing at it as he got ready for bed. The way that woman talked about magic was fascinating. It was so different that what he did, but he thought he could try making some of the potions she had written about at least. For science!

He chuckled to himself as he stepped out into the hallway. Stiles moved through their small apartment, checking the locks on all of the doors and the windows. He brushed his fingers against one of his ward markings and relaxed when he felt them there. Scott didn’t even stir when Stiles slipped in, used to Stiles’s weekly routine. Stiles finished his circuit with the window in his own room. Only then was he able to relax and settle onto his bed again. A wave of his hand turned his light off. He closed his eyes, but his mind kept drifting back to the two books he’d borrowed. His mind was still circling through everything he read when he finally fell asleep.

Peter’s reply email came two days later, while Stiles was in the middle of his Statistics course. He saw the notification flash on his phone and his hand twitched towards it to start typing out a reply. Only the fact that the teacher was two rows away from him kept his eyes on the board. He kept glancing at the notification, though. He felt the need to know what it said like a physical pull. Stiles flipped the phone face down in hopes that he could concentrate on the rest of the day’s lesson. The last few minutes of class were torture, but finally the teacher assigned their homework and let them go on their way. Stiles shoved his things in his bag and raced out of class. He found a quiet nook away from the bustle of students and pulled out his phone.

To: whatsastiles@gmail.com  
From: peter.hale@gmail.com

_Hello, Stiles._

_My sister and nieces speak highly of you. Cora told me that you are a fast reader and I should expect to see you often for more books. I trust that a fellow book lover such as yourself will treat our collection with the respect it deserves, so you are welcome any time._

_I will do my best to answer your questions, but I cannot always guarantee that I can respond in a timely manner._

_Sincerely,  
Peter Hale_

Stiles smiled as he read and then re-read the email. Peter said that he could ask questions! And that Talia, Laura, and Cora all like him! He mentally did a little fist pump at that. He was so going to nerd out with this guy when he finally got a chance to meet him. Stiles glanced at the time on his phone and muttered a curse. He had ten minutes to get across campus to his French class. He shoved his phone in his pocket, but was already mentally composing his reply as he ran down the hallway.


	2. Chapter 2

“Scott!” He burst into the room without bothering to knock. Luckily Scott and Allison still had their clothes on, though guessing by the way they jumped apart he was interrupting something. Still, he was there already. He pushed forward and thrust a cup towards Scott’s face. “Smell this.”

Scott raised an eyebrow at him incredulously, but obediently leaned forward and sniffed. “Uh… I don’t smell anything.”

Curious, Allison leaned across Scott. “I don’t smell anything either.” She looks into the cup and recoils. “Oh my god, what is that?”

Stiles looked down at the cup and shrugged. “No idea. Something Scott left at the back of the refrigerator for way too long.” He pulled the cup away and turned to head back into the kitchen. Stiles tossed the moldy whatever had been in the cup into the garbage can and put the cup in the dishwasher. He grabbed the spray bottle he’d left on the counter and sprayed the garbage can for good measure.

“What is that stuff?” Scott’s nose twitched as he walked into the room. He went straight to the garbage can and looked pleasantly surprised by the lack of smell.

“Scent removing spray,” Stiles said. He leaned down to make some notes in his notebook, right below where he’d meticulously copied down the potion recipe from the book he’d borrowed from Peter. Once he had all of his thoughts down, he moved back to the pot still on the stove. There were a few more spray bottles waiting to be filled. Stiles carefully laddled the potion into the bottles and then stuck a label on each. He handed two over to Allison. “For you and your dad.”

Allison beamed at him. “Thanks, Stiles!” She turned to stash the bottles into her backpack, which was sitting on her usual spot on the couch. “Where did you learn how to make this?”

Stiles waved a hand at the open book sitting in front of his notebook, but carefully out of any potential splash zone. “Borrowed a book from the Hale’s library.” He capped the last of the bottles with a flourish. “There are a whole bunch of potion recipes in there. I want to try the healing potion tomorrow. Already bought the ingredients when I was getting the stuff for this.”

“Dude, don’t you have finals still?” Scott carefully picked up the book and started to flip through it, but settling on a page with a detailed description of the yarrow plant and its uses, complete with drawings. “When did you have time to read all of this?”

“I borrowed that book after Thanksgiving,” Stiles replied with a snort. “I finished that one and the other one like two weeks ago, but since I can’t get new ones until I give these back I figured I might as well try some of the recipes.” He started to thoroughly wash out the pot. Once the pot was drying he turned to gather up the rest of the spray bottles. “Besides, I already turned in my History and Criminology papers. All I have left are my Stats and Bio tests and those are going to be a piece of cake.” 

Scott set the book back down on the counter next to Stiles’s notebook. “Just be careful,” he said, worry lines furrowing his forehead. “Are you sure you can trust these recipes?”

Stiles shrugged. “Peter said they would be fine. Apparently he keeps the books of dubious reliability out of reach of innocents.” He snorted at the look on Allison’s face. “His words, not mine.”

“Well, at least you know one of the recipes is legitimate,” she said. She ran a hand slowly down Scott’s back and apparently that was all the reminder his friend needed that they had been in the middle of something. 

Stiles shook his head as the two of them hurried back down the hall. He followed at a more sedate pace so as not to drop any of the bottles crammed into his arms. He heard the lock on Scott’s door click into place and snickered. 

The spray bottles went into the big wooden trunk that he’d purchased at the beginning of the school year to keep all of his magic related stuff. He’d already cleared plenty of space for future potions. Once they were stored away, Stiles settled into his desk chair and booted up his computer.

To: peter.hale@gmail.com  
From: whatsastiles@gmail.com

_Great news! The scent masking potion is a success. Totally tried it out on Scott and Allison just now. I’m going to try the healing potion next. Already copied down all of the recipes that seemed useful into my own notebook, so I’ll send the two books back with Cora when she heads home on Thursday. I’ll probably swing by at some point over the weekend to borrow more books, if that’s alright._

_Thanks again for letting me pick your brain about the potions!_

_Stiles_

Once the email was sent, Stiles clicked through some of the other emails waiting in his inbox. He was busy deleting spam and advertisement emails when Peter’s reply came in. He rushed to open it.

From: peter.hale@gmail.com  
To: whatsastiles@gmail.com

_Congratulations on your success. Just follow the recipes exactly and you shouldn’t have any problems. Once you have a few years practice under your belt, then you may be safe to experiment. Though I would recommend doing so in a well ventilated room._

_I will let my sister know to expect you this weekend. Unfortunately I am in Phoenix right now and will be picking up some things around the state for my antiquities clients. I don’t expect to be back until next week, but feel free to borrow more books._

_Have the Argents provided you with a copy of their bestiary yet?_

_Peter Hale_

Stiles did a double take. This was the first he’d heard of the book. He jumped out of his chair. The door to Scott’s room unlocked under his hand.

“Stiles!” 

Allison quickly pulled a blanket over her and Scott, as if he hadn’t already seen it all before. She and Scott had learned the hard way to check his schedule before having sex in the living room. Or the kitchen. Or the shared bathroom. 

Stiles pointed a finger at her, ignoring Scott’s squawk of indignation. “You! Why is this the first I’m hearing about your family’s bestiary? Like, this should be required reading for us!”

Scott bolted upright on the bed. “Dude! I’m still human, it’s not bestiality!” Allison looked similarly affronted.

He ran a hand over his face. “Bestiary,” he said, enunciating each syllable. “It’s a book about different types of creatures.” He gave his friend a dry look. “You’re in college now, you should know this word.”

“It’s not like it was on the SAT list,” Scott grumbled.

Stiles waved away his complaints, focusing on Allison instead. “Anyways, book all about werewolves and whatever the fuck else is out there. Why don’t I have it?”

Allison raised an eyebrow at him. “I don’t even have it. If I promise to ask my dad later, will you please get out.”

“Yes.” He started to leave, then paused and turned back to Allison. “Make sure to ask him if there are any other super useful books he has lying around that he forgot to mention. And…”

“Stiles!” Scott’s voice was sharp as he interrupted. “Get out.”

“Right.” He waved over his shoulder. “You kids have fun.” Stiles shut the door after himself and headed back to his room. 

To: peter.hale@gmail.com  
From: whatsastiles@gmail.com

_I didn’t even know they had a bestiary! Allison has now promised to ask her dad about it. Thanks for the heads up. Who knows when Chris would have thought to offer on his own. Sometimes he forgets that we all didn’t grow up with this supernatural stuff._

_Do you have any suggestions for what I should read next? I would love something along the lines of the potion book with more practical uses._

_Stiles_

The reply came almost instantly. Peter must have been sitting at his own computer, wherever he was in Phoenix. 

From: peter.hale@gmail.com  
To: whatsastiles@gmail.com

_Situations like your pack’s are quite rare. It is uncommon to encounter a newly bitten wolf, let alone a whole pack of them, and the other creatures you have apparently collected. Talia and Cora were not very forthcoming about the details of how your pack came to be and how you came to know the Argents. Would you be willing to tell the story?_

_And, yes, I will leave two books out on the desk. Feel free to choose from the shelves as well if they don’t entice you._

_Peter Hale_

Stiles bit his lip as he considered his response.

To: peter.hale@gmail.com  
From: whatsastiles@gmail.com

_Do you have some kind of instant messaging program? I think it’d be easier to talk that way._

_Stiles  
Telegram/Kik/WhatsApp/Skype: TalkNerdytoMe_

A moment later, he heard the ding of a notification. He had a new message on Telegram from a username he didn’t recognize.

 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Peter, I’m assuming?  
**SmarterThanYou:** You assume correctly, dear boy.

Stiles was glad Scott and Allison were otherwise occupied because he was certain he was blushing. 

**TalkNerdytoMe:** Umm… Hi!  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** I figured it would be easier to tell the story this way, rather than emailing back and forth.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** I mean, if you have a bit of time, that is?  
**SmarterThanYou:** My evening is yours.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Right.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Not exactly a pleasant story, so bear with me.  
**SmarterThanYou:** Of course. I have been told my curiosity is greater than my tact.  
**SmarterThanYou:** You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Heh. No worries. As Cora can tell you, I’m perfectly comfortable telling people to fuck off if they try to make me do something I don’t want to.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Anyways…  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** We were all friends before the whole shit show, so that’s how we ended up together at Lydia’s parents’ beach house over the summer.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Her mom let us have the place to ourselves for a long weekend at the beginning of August.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Kind of like a last hurrah before school started back up, you know?

Stiles paused and ran his hands through his hair. He felt a creep of anxiety just thinking about that weekend, but well, he trusted Peter. They had a shared nerd bond.

 **TalkNerdytoMe:** So, it was me, Scott, Allison, Lydia, her boyfriend Jackson, and our other single friend, Kira.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** The girls and Jackson were swimming in the lake, but Scott really wanted to roast marshmallows and cook over a campfire and shit that night.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** So he and I were in the forest around the lake, getting wood for the fire.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** We’re minding our fucking business when this huge beast comes charging at us.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Like out of nowhere, hadn’t suspected a thing, then BOOM monster.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** And I’m talking huge, half-man/half-wolf thing with glowing eyes and slobbering everywhere.  
**SmarterThanYou:** A feral Alpha.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Yup.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Though, you know, Scott and I had no clue at the time.  
**SmarterThanYou:** I would imagine not.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** So, the Alpha charges up to Scott and bites him in the side.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** And he, like, latches on.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** So Scott’s screaming and I just kind of panic.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Instead of being smart and running away, I grab a big old branch and run towards the thing.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Not my brightest hour.  
**SmarterThanYou:** But you survived.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** True.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** So, I manage to clock the Alpha on the head with the branch.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** And he did let go of Scott…  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** But then he pretty much shattered the branch with one hit.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** And then Scott threw a rock at its face.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** It was confused long enough for me to drag Scott up and start running back towards the beach house.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** But, I guess it wasn’t completely insane and we had pissed it off pretty bad.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Mostly me probably.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** It kept coming out of the woods at me.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** I got clawed pretty fucking bad. But, it kept letting us get away.

Stiles had to stop typing because his hands were shaking so bad. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. Once his hands were steady again he looked at the screen. There were several messages from Peter waiting.

 **SmarterThanYou:** It was toying with you.  
**SmarterThanYou:** Honestly, I am a bit surprised that you survived.  
**SmarterThanYou:** Are you alright?  
**SmarterThanYou:** Stiles?  
**SmarterThanYou:** We can talk about something else if you need to stop.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** I’m fine.

He looked back over the messages to see where he had left off.

 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Right. So, I guess the others heard us screaming. And Jackson and Lydia were the first two to get to us.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Lydia, who is a literal genius by the way, was smart enough to stay back away from the thing.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** The Alpha noticed Jackson, though.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** He got bit too.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** But, he also managed to punch the Alpha right in the nose.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Needless to say, that pissed it off even more.  
**SmarterThanYou:** I can imagine it would.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Cue more running and screaming.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Until eventually it gets bored and just barrels into Jackson, Scott, and I.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** We ended up in some kind of clearing, actually not too far from the house.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** But, like scattered about and too winded to run anymore.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Especially Scott cause he was asthmatic.  
**SmarterThanYou:** Well, I suppose he won’t have to worry about that anymore.

Stiles snorted.

 **SmarterThanYou:** But, please, go on.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** So, I guess Jackson pissed it off the most, cause that’s who it went after first.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** And really, Jackson just has that effect on people.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** It raises its paw and I think it was probably going to claw Jackson’s throat out or something.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Like, I was certain Jackson was about to die.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** I think we were all expecting to die.  
**SmarterThanYou:** I’m assuming this is where mini-Argent charged in to save the day.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** No, actually.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Well, kinda.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Don’t get ahead of me.  
**SmarterThanYou:** My apologies.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** :P  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Anyways, what actually happened is that Lydia screamed.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** And not just a normal scream, but like Screamed.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Because, surprise! She’s a Banshee.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Not that any of us knew that. Like, not even her.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** She gets it from her aunt apparently. Well, and her dead grandmother…

Stiles paused before he could get too distracted down that tangent. That was a whole different story and not really his to tell.

 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Anyway…  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** The Scream made all of us cover our ears and, as you can imagine, was not at all pleasant for the Alpha.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** But, it also kind of…  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** I don’t know… kickstarted my magic?  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Never have been able to figure out why. Will probably bother Deaton about it over break.  
**SmarterThanYou:** That is unusual. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that happening before.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Yeah, neither had Chris.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** But, back to the story.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** The next bit is kind of a blur for me cause you know, magical power up not exactly a subtle, or pleasant, thing.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Allison and Kira got there at some point. But Allison only has her mini-crossbow with her and Kira was having her own problems.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** She also got her own power boost.  
**SmarterThanYou:** Another magic user in your pack?  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** No, kitsune actually.  
**SmarterThanYou:** Intriguing. And she wasn’t aware of her heritage either?  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Nope. Mom was waiting to do the reveal when she got older.  
**SmarterThanYou:** Is her mother joining us for Talia’s little get together on Christmas eve? I have never actually met a Kitsune.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Not likely. They actually live in San Francisco.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** And I think they’re planning on spending the holiday in Japan.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** But I’ll ask Kira to pass along the invite for the next get together.  
**SmarterThanYou:** I appreciate that.  
**SmarterThanYou:** Now, what happened with the Alpha? 

Stiles had to stop again to take a few calming breaths. He had told Talia kind of what happened, but not really in detail. He didn’t doubt that all of this was going to get passed along to her as well. That’s what he would do in Peter’s place after all.

 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Right, so…  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** I was not exactly… sane? At that moment.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Kind of rushed with power and leaking it everywhere.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** And really, really scared and pissed off.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** I stood up and the Alpha came at me.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** And I just stopped it… with my mind.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Well, with my magic.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** I killed it. 

He let out a long breath that he hadn’t noticed he’d been holding. Stiles felt the tension that had been building during the conversation drain away. It was out. The Hales already knew he’d done it anyways. Now they had the details and he couldn’t help it if they judged him for it.

 **SmarterThanYou:** And good that you did.  
**SmarterThanYou:** A feral Alpha will just keep killing until it’s put down. There is no redemption. No saving them.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Yeah, that’s what Chris and Allison said.  
**SmarterThanYou:** And the Alpha power went to Scott, correct?  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Yup.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Chris said it could be because he was the first one bitten or Scott might have had some kind of Alpha potential already.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** No way to tell.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** So, yeah. Alpha power healed Scott right up.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Allison called her dad.  
**SmarterThanYou:** I’m sure he loved getting that call.

Stiles snorted again. He was going to enjoy talking to Peter like this if it brought out more of his wit and sarcasm.

**TalkNerdytoMe:** He took it as well as could be expected. Made the body disappear at least, so that was helpful.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Jackson and I were hurt pretty bad, but we both healed up.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** He turned.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** I started to make things explode when upset.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Fun times for all.  
**SmarterThanYou:** I can imagine.  
**SmarterThanYou:** It seems you have all adjusted fairly well.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** We fake it well. ;)  
**SmarterThanYou:** You have met my nephew, right? Much more well-adjusted than him.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Hehe. I’m telling Derek you said that.  
**SmarterThanYou:** Feel free. I’ve said as much to his face. 

Stiles burst out laughing. He could totally picture that. Cora and Derek’s squabbles were epic. There was just something about him that made her love riling him up. He glanced over at the clock. 

**TalkNerdytoMe:** Hey, I’ve got to get to bed. It was nice talking to you, though.  
**SmarterThanYou:** You as well.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** We’ll have to do it again sometime.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Only, you know, with a much more pleasant topic next time.  
**SmarterThanYou:** You have my screenname. Feel free to message me.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Sweet!  
**SmarterThanYou:** Sleep well, Stiles.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Night. 


	3. Chapter 3

**TalkNerdytoMe:** Hey! You’re probably still travelling around, but I just wanted to say that the two books that you left out for me look great!  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** I can’t wait to read them!  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Oh, I’m also totally going to surprise attack Deaton in his office tomorrow and pick his brain.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Don’t warn him.  
**SmarterThanYou:** Far be it from me to spoil your surprise.

*************

**TalkNerdytoMe:** Dropped off the books and swapped them out for two more.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Your library journal has been updated before you ask.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** I told Cora I was coming over, but she forgot to mention you’d be out.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Hope you, Talia, and Steven had a good time at your Holiday get together and everything went smoothly with the other packs.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** See you on Christmas Eve!

*************

“Stiles!” Cora’s shout broke through the chaos of noise that was the Hale’s living room. Several eyes turned towards him, prompting a second cheer to go up.

“Cookies!” Laura shouted. She separated from someone Stiles didn’t recognize to come rushing over. 

Stiles laughed and waved at everyone else. He saw Lydia and Jackson over in one corner, talking to Erica and Boyd. Scott was sitting with Ms. McCall and Deaton, but paused what he was saying long enough to wave back. Kira and Allison were on the floor with some of the smaller Hale children and a woman Stiles hadn’t met yet. He could hear even more voices from further into the house. He was definitely glad that he had made a ridiculous amount of cookies. He looked behind him to see Laura grabbing the top container from the stack of tupperware currently floating behind him. 

“Thebe awe ameshing,” Laura said around the cookie smushed in her mouth. Cora leaned over Laura’s shoulder to snag a sugar cookie.

“Well, help yourself. I figured I’d sacrifice a container before I got very far, so that one is a mix.” He waved a hand towards the hallway. “Should I put the rest in the kitchen or the dining room?”

“Dining room,” Cora said. She grabbed two more cookies from the container before starting down the hallway.

Stiles followed after her, his magic making the rest of the stack of containers float along behind him. He heard some giggles from the Hale children, but he wasn’t sure if it was because of the floating cookies or something one of the girls had said. Cora introduced the cousins and other relatives they passed in the hallway and in the dining room, but Stiles had no hope of actually remembering anyone’s name. He got a few odd looks for the floating cookies.

“Stiles, I’m glad you could make it.”

“Alpha Hale,” he greeted as he waved the containers onto an open spot along a side table. He turned towards Talia and was surprised to be pulled into a hug. “Hello.” He hugged her back awkwardly. Thankfully she took pity on him and let him go fairly quickly. “Oh!” He pulled open the flap of his messenger bag and pulled out a bottle of rum. “I learned how to make wolfsbane spiked alcohol! This is for you.” He continued at Talia’s raised eyebrow. “My dad bought the alcohol. And Derek was my test subject, so no one underage has consumed any.”

Talia chuckled and accepted the bottle. “Well, thank you for that, Stiles. I’m sure Cora gets into enough trouble without adding alcohol to the mix.”

“Hey!” Cora squawked indignantly from where she was getting into the cookies again.

Stiles chuckled at that. There was a reason he made a separate tin just to divert Cora. He excused himself as Talia started teasing Cora, nodding at Derek as they passed in the hallway. His feet took him to the library automatically. The room was empty as he entered, but there was a cup of cocoa and an open book on one of the small tables next to a comfortable looking chair. Stiles couldn’t resist seeing what the book was, a history of Spain, before turning to the desk. He pulled the books he’d borrowed out of his bag and set them down on the desk since he didn’t actually know where they went in Peter’s organization scheme. It was easy enough to pick out two new ones. At this rate it would take him years to get through just the supernatural section, not even counting anything else in the library.

“Cora says to stop being a loser and come join the party,” Isaac said, pulling Stiles’s attention away from where he was updating the library log book. 

“Tell her that if she keeps eating the cookies, she’ll get fat, werewolf stamina or no.” He grinned and Isaac grinned back at him. From somewhere in the house, probably still the dining room, he heard Cora’s squawk of indignation. He snickered as he put the books away. 

Isaac led him back out to the living room, which seemed to be where the McCall pack plus the youngest members of the Hale pack were congregating. Laura had left the container of cookies on the coffee table nearby and was seated on the floor with Allison and Kira. Stiles shed his coat and threw it on the pile lining the banister of the stairs. He plopped down cross legged between Allison and Laura. Stiles held out his hand to the other woman there.

“Hi, I’m Stiles,” he said. “Cora only mentioned one sister, so I’m guessing... cousin?”

The woman laughed as she shook his hand. “Thank you for that, but no,” she said. “I’m Abigail, Peter and Talia’s younger sister.” She ruffled the hair of a young boy and girl in front of her. “And these are my little pups, Kristen and Alexander.”

“Nice to meet you,” the children chorused without even looking up from whatever block sculpture they were building with Kira and Allison. 

Some of his surprise must have shown on his face, or in his scent. Laura leaned into him as she laughed. “Abigail and Peter are from grandma Hale’s second marriage, that’s why they’re a bit younger than mom.”

Which reminded him… “Where is Peter, by the way? He said he was going to be here.”

“Oh?” It was Abigail’s turn to look surprised. “Peter said he hadn’t met any of your pack before.”

“Stiles and Peter are nerd buddies,” Cora announced as she draped her arms over his shoulders and flopped on him. Stiles grunted under the sudden weight, but didn’t shake her off.

“I’ve been borrowing books from the library,” he explained to Abigail. “And we’ve been emailing about them. We haven’t actually met in person yet.”

“Ahhh,” Abigail said, amusement warming her voice. “Peter ran out to pick up some extra drinks. He should be back shortly.”

“Cool,” Stiles said. He nudged Allison once she was safely away from the block tower. “Did you get your grade back yet from Wilson’s class?”

“No!” Allison scrunched her nose in displeasure. “He always takes so long to put the grades up. All of my other teachers have turned theirs in.”

“I’m still waiting on two professors,” Kira said. She shrugged, clearly not bothered by the need to know that Stiles had. “They’ll be up soon enough.”

“But…” He was cut off by his phone ringing. Stiles looked down at it in surprise, because pretty much everyone he knew was here. Except his father. Who was calling. Stiles pushed himself to his feet as he answered. He walked over towards the front door, where he hopefully wouldn’t bother anyone else, even though he knew most of the werewolves would still be able to hear him. “Hey pops, are you on your way?”

“Now, Stiles, don’t panic,” Noah said in a tone of voice that meant he knew Stiles was pretty much guaranteed to panic right away.

“Not an inspiring start to the conversation.”

“I’m okay, but I’m in the hospital and…”

“What!?” Stiles was pretty sure most of the conversations in the room cut off right then, but he wasn’t really paying attention. “What do you mean you’re in the hospital?”

“There was some ice. I fell.” Noah sighed, clearly embarrassed at being hurt by something so minor. “They’re thinking my leg might be broken.”

Stiles grabbed his coat. He started pulling it on one handed, not willing to put down the phone. “Where are you?”

“Stiles…”

“Dad. I am coming to the hospital.” Stiles hung up his phone before his father could argue. He turned back to the living room and suddenly Talia and Steven were just… there. 

“Please let your father know we’re available if he needs anything,” Talia said. She pulled him into a quick hug before stepping aside for Steven to do the same.

“You, too, Stiles,” Steven said. “Just let us know.”

Stiles shifted a bit awkwardly. Talia and Steven seemed so genuine in their offer. He still wasn’t quite used to having people he could rely on outside of his friends. “Thank you.” He waved at the others. “Sorry about having to bail so early. I really was looking forward to today.”

“There will be other opportunities,” Talia said with a warm smile. “We understand.”

He couldn’t think of anything to say to that, so he just nodded and hurried out the door. He was glad that Scott and Allison had driven separately. He didn’t have to worry about figuring out rides. Stiles sped down the country roads, only slowing down once he started to reach the outskirts of town. He navigated the streets of Beacon Hills easily. Soon enough he was parking at the hospital. He hopped out of the Jeep as soon as he’d parked and ran for the door.

Everyone in the waiting room turned to stare at him when he burst into the hospital at a run. He stopped short at the desk. “Sheriff Stilinski?” 

The triage nurse’s expression softened. She clicked a few keys on her keyboard. “He’s in A3,” she said. The nurse turned and called over her shoulder to another nurse. The man put down the chart he was looking at. The two of them had a short conversation, then the man was coming around the desk.

“This way,” he said. He gave Stiles a small smile before turning and leading him down the hall. 

His father apparently hadn’t even been put into a proper room yet. The nurse led Stiles to a group of curtained off alcoves. He held aside one of the curtains. “Someone’s here to see you, Sheriff,” the nurse said, leaning into the space. The nurse stepped aside and waved Stiles into the alcove. He clapped Stiles on the shoulder, but continued to address Noah. “It shouldn’t be much longer until we get you into X-Ray. I’ll be at the nurses’ station if you need anything.”

“Thanks, Brandon,” Noah said.

Stiles absently murmured his thanks as well, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from his father. Noah’s face was pale and his eyes pinched. One of his legs was held in place by some complicated foam braces.

“I’m going to be fine, Stiles.” 

He startled at the sound of his father’s voice. Stiles stumbled forward to slump into the single chair by the bed. He let his bag fall down at his feet. He looked at his father’s leg for a long moment before shaking himself. Stiles licked his lips nervously. He glanced at his dad before quickly checking to see if there was anyone nearby. He couldn’t hear anyone in any of the other alcoves, but that didn’t necessarily mean that they were empty. Stiles leaned forward and rested a hand on his father’s arm. “You know I can make healing potions now,” he whispered. “One of them and your leg would be fixed in a couple hours.”

Noah shook his head. He reached out and patted Stiles’s hand. “It happened on the job, Stiles,” Noah said. “I think that would be a little suspicious.”

Stiles grumbled. “Half a potion?”

“No, Stiles,” Noah said. He leaned back into the bed and closed his eyes. “How was the party?”

“Not bad.” Stiles shrugged. “Cora and Laura were really excited about the cookies. The rest of the pack seemed to be getting along well with the Hales. Oh, Talia and Steven said to let them know if we need anything.”

Noah smiled slightly. “That’s nice of them.” He squeezed Stiles’s hand once more before letting his arm flop down at his side. “Talia and Laura were very helpful in going over some of those old cases. Not much that I could actually clear away, but at least I know what to look for now.”

“Dad…”

“We’re ready for you now, Sheriff,” the nurse, Brandon, interrupted as he pulled the curtain aside. He turned towards Stiles. “I’m just going to take your dad down the hall to the X-Ray machine.” Brandon moved around the bed, unlocking the wheel stops and maneuvering the rolling bed away from the wall. “You’re welcome to wait here or go get something from the cafeteria. We shouldn’t be more than a half-hour.”

Stiles mustered up a smile for the man. “Thanks.” He watched as the nurse wheeled his father off down the hall. Stiles sagged back in the chair and ran a hand over his face. He pushed himself to his feet. It only took him a minute to find a vending machine. Once he’d acquired some provisions, he made his way back to the alcove. Stiles sat down in the chair again. He drank his soda in silence for a few minutes before giving in and pulling out one of his newly borrowed books. He had a feeling it was going to be a long night.

*************

Peter paused when he stepped into the house. There was a new scent. Something amazing concentrated right where he was standing, but he couldn’t quite pick out what. He nodded absently to the others as he hung up his coat and scarf. He followed the scent into the living room. It lingered around certain people, but never in a strong enough amount to be the source. The scent continued down the hall and into the dining room. He set down the wine and soda he was carrying and left them for someone else to deal with. The scent lingered around several containers of cookies, but when he sniffed at the cookies themselves he couldn’t find a match. He couldn’t detect any trace of the scent in the kitchen, so it likely wasn’t a food smell. It was definitely in the library, however.

“Is everything alright?” 

Talia’s voice drew him from his contemplation. He glanced over his shoulder at her before turning back to examining the room. His book was slightly askew from where he’d left it. He twitched it back into place with a finger. “Has someone been in here?” His eyes landed on two books on the desk. He was pretty sure he knew the answer to his question.

“Just Stiles, I think.” Talia stepped further into the room. She took a deep inhale. “Isaac might have been as well.”

“Hmm.” Peter stepped up to the desk. He picked up the books Stiles must have returned and moved to place them back on the shelves. “I didn’t see Stiles when I came in. Is he still here?”

Talia sighed. “No. It appears his father was injured and he had to leave right away. I think you just missed him.”

“Ahh.” He looked over at Talia then and gave her a small smile. “Your requested soda and wine are in the dining room.”

“Thanks, Peter.” She cupped him on the back of the neck briefly before turning and going back to the party. 

Peter settled down in his chair. He considered the evidence before him and had to conclude that the wonderful, enticing scent had to be Stiles. There was something about that scent, though. Something that was tugging at his instincts. He pulled out his phone.

 **SmarterThanYou:** I’m sorry to hear that your father was injured.  
**SmarterThanYou:** Please let us know if there’s anything you need.

There wasn’t a reply.

*************

**TalkNerdytoMe:** Sorry I didn’t get back to you last night.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** By the time I got dad home from the hospital it was well after 2 am.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** We both pretty much just passed right out.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** How is Noah?  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** His leg is broken in two places.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** He didn’t just slip on some ice.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** No, he was pushed down ice covered steps by some asshole he got called to a domestic for.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** Well, that’s one way to ensure you get thrown in jail….  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Yeah, really.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** I’m surprised he didn’t “trip” on the way to his jail cell.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** That is surprising.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Eh. It was Jordan who brought him in.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Dude’s a boy scout. A hot boy scout, but still a boy scout.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** Ah, yes. I do recall meeting Deputy Parrish.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** Definitely eye candy, but blandly morally. I would break the poor boy.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** o.O  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** I think you just broke me.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Hahaha. That is amazing.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Like, really, I just burst out laughing. You have no idea how much I needed that.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** Glad I could brighten your day, darling ;)  
 **SmarterThanYou:** Do you or your father need anything?  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Nah, we’re good.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Dad got fitted with his cast last night.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** He was less than pleased about having to sleep on the pull out bed in his study, but he wasn’t going to be able to make it up the stairs.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** I have to take him back today to get his crutches adjusted.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** I’m afraid I’m not really familiar with normal healing times. How long will he be laid up?  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Best estimate was six weeks, mostly likely closer to eight or ten.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Well, in his case it’s going to be six weeks ;)  
 **SmarterThanYou:** Oh?  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** I may have slipped a splash of my healing potion into his orange juice this morning.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** Hahaha. Clever boy.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** :P  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** I would have given him the whole thing but he wouldn’t take it. Said it would be suspicious.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** He isn’t wrong.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** >.>  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Hush, you.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** Yes, my dear.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** I can feel the sass.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Oh, hold on.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Looks like dad wants to get going and stop at the station before his appointment.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Talk to you later!  
 **SmarterThanYou:** Take care, Stiles.

*************

**TalkNerdytoMe:** Hey! Dad said that you and Talia stopped by while Scott and I were out at the movies.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Please thank Talia and Steven for the casserole for me!  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Dad has not been adjusting well to the crutches so that will be a big help.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** No worries, dear boy.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** I am sorry that we missed each other again.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Hahah. Yeah. If Scott and my dad hadn’t said that they’d met you, I would have thought that Cora had made you up as some kind of elaborate prank.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** That… I could see my niece doing, yes.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** I assure you I am not a figment of your imagination, however.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Good to know.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** Perhaps we can get together before you return to school.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** When do you go back?  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Uhh… Tomorrow, actually.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Scott’s veterinary program is actually on a slightly different schedule than Berkeley.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Mostly it matches up, but their semesters start a week earlier and I’m his ride, so...  
 **SmarterThanYou:** And the dorms let you in early?  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Oh, no.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** We have an apartment off campus actually. A little closer to Berkeley than Scott’s school, but still manageable.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Scott has a motorcycle up there, just not really great for long distance winter travel, you know.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** Ahhh. Apartments are much preferable to dorms.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Yeah. We figured it was kind of a necessity with the whole newly turned wolf thing.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Scott in a dorm room would have been a walking disaster and almost certainly would have led to half the dorm finding out about werewolves.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** I see.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** Convenient that you were able to find an apartment in your price range, then.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Oh, yeah. Mr. Argent totally hooked us up though.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** Really?  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Yeah, it’s owned by a retired Hunter friend of Chris’s. And, like, most of the residents are supernatural, or at least supernatural adjacent.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** I totally think the old lady across the hall from us is a witch.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Like a legitimate magic user.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Very nice lady from my few interactions so far.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** Well, I suppose you will have to bribe her with some of your famous baked goods and find out.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Dad’s calling me. I’ve got to run.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Talk to you later.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** Of course. Good night, Stiles. 


	4. Chapter 4

Stiles looked up from his Sociology book when the door banged open. He jumped up to his feet when he saw Scott walking in with a very large box. “Sorry,” Scott called, shutting the door more carefully. “My hand slipped.” Scott set the box down on the table with a thud.

“What’s that?” Stiles asked as he drew closer.

Scott shrugged. “Dunno. It’s addressed to you.” Scott turned to their small hall closet to hang up his coat.

“Huh.” Stiles blinked in surprise. “I don't remember ordering anything.” He turned the box until he could find a shipping label. “It's from Peter.”

“Peter?” Scott’s brows drew together in confusion. 

“Hale,” Stiles clarified. “Cora's uncle.”

“Oh, your book boyfriend,” Scott said with a grin.

“He’s not… We’re not…” He spluttered indignantly. Stiles poked vicously at Scott’s side, but the werewolf dodged it easily. “Ugh.” He waved a hand at the box. “Just do your thing and open this for me.”

Scott chuckled, but obediently popped a claw and slit the tape holding the box closed. He stepped away from the box with a flourish. Stiles rolled his eyes. He pulled open the flaps slowly. Inside was… books. Lots of books. There was a folded piece of paper on top.

_Stiles,_

_I recently purchased a large lot of books at an estate sale. I thought you might appreciate the duplicates that were included in the lot. And, yes, this means there are new books in the library. I hope these are a welcome addition to your collection._

_Warm regards,  
Peter Hale_

He let out a squeal of excitement that made Scott flinch. Stiles bounced up and down before giving in to the urge to dive into the box. He only got more excited when he pulled the first book out. Peter had given him his own copy of the herb and potion book he’d borrowed before. Stiles had copied down the recipes he was most interested in, but having his own copy was going to be so helpful. He set the book aside and pulled out the next one. 

Stiles flipped through the small leather bound book. It appeared to be about pack politics and the particulars of certain traditions that born wolfs followed. He hadn’t even known something like this existed. It looked fascinating. Stiles reluctantly set it aside for later. The next two books he pulled were on basic magical theory. Another one focused specifically on runes and wards. Those would be helpful. There was another book that looked to be a basic bestiary. He recognized some of it from the thumb drive that Allison had given him with her family’s bestiary. Stiles lingered on a book about werewolf physiology, but eventually set it aside to look at the last two books in the box. One must have been written by Hunters because it was all about different types of wolfsbane and other substances that were harmful to supernatural creatures. He had to wonder if Chris had a copy in his library. The final book was all about Emissaries.

“Wow,” Scott said suddenly and Stiles jumped. He’d forgotten that Scott was there, too distracted by the books. “Peter sent you all of these?”

“Yeah.” Stiles breathed out the word. He blushed at the amount of awe in his own voice. He cleared his throat before he spoke again. “He said they were duplicates that he already had.”

Scott nodded as he flipped through the bestiary book. “Still, these have got to be expensive, right?” Scott set the book down and waved a hand at the others. “I remember how much you paid for the last book you got. These all….”

“He said…” Stiles picked up the letter and skimmed it again. Peter actually had really nice handwriting. Stiles was impressed. But, that wasn’t the point. “It was apparently a lot sale, so maybe he got a good deal?” Stiles hesitated. “I mean, he made it sound like a gift.” He ran a finger over the lines of perfectly formed letters. “Maybe I should check.”

Stiles folded the letter again and tucked it into his pocket as he made his way down the hall to his room. His chat program was already open. Not that he ever closed it these days. 

**TalkNerdytoMe:** Hey! Glad you’re online.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** I got the box of books that you sent me.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** They look amazing! Like, I totally would love them, but I can’t really afford to pay you back for them….  
**SmarterThanYou:** No need, sweetheart.  
**SmarterThanYou:** I can more than afford them.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Okay…. If you’re sure.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Thank you.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Like, really, you have no idea how happy this has made me. I am such a book hoarder.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** The only downside is that I have a Sociology test tomorrow that I should really study for and I need to cook dinner at some point if I want something not takeout and edible.  
**SmarterThanYou:** I am always happy to share with a fellow bibliophile, darling.  
**SmarterThanYou:** I take it Scott is not a cook.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** He’s messed up boxed mac n cheese.  
**SmarterThanYou:** Oh dear.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Yeah. Thankfully Allison can cook, otherwise I would be worried for his future.  
**SmarterThanYou:** My nieces have been singing the praises of your cooking.  
**SmarterThanYou:** I quite enjoyed the cookies that you brought to the party Christmas Eve as well.  
**SmarterThanYou:** What I could wrestle away from Cora that is.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Hahaha. Yeah. She’s a menace when it comes to baked goods.  
**SmarterThanYou:** Scott can survive his own bad cooking now, but I am glad that you are able to cook.  
**SmarterThanYou:** I would be worried for your health otherwise.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Lol. Nothing to worry about.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** I’ve been cooking since I was a kid.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** And I’m just doing some simple baked chicken tonight.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** As much as I love to really get fancy with the spices, during the school year it’s usually things that I can throw together quickly or throw in a slow cooker or something.  
**SmarterThanYou:** A wise choice.  
**SmarterThanYou:** Now, I’m afraid I must take a call from a client and then I need to pack for another trip.  
**SmarterThanYou:** And I’m sure you need to get back to your studying.  
**SmarterThanYou:** Good luck on your test, Stiles.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Thanks, Peter.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Safe travels.

*************

**TalkNerdytoMe:** Aced my test.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Totally rewarding myself with a break to read one of the books you sent me.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Oh, and it turns out that Delores across the hall is, in fact, a Druid.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** She gave me a bunch of ingredients and stuff in exchange for some of the potions I’ve made.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** This is just like when Dane, our landlord, gave me a discount on rent in exchange for warding his apartment after I asked him if I could do mine.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Supernatural barter system for the win!  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Anyway, I know you’re probably out travelling and/or working, so I’ll catch you some other time.

*************

Stiles tapped his pen against his desk as he considered the book in front of him and the paper that he’d been scribbling on. He looked at the symbols he’d drawn and then back at the ones in the book. He considered them for a few more minutes before giving in and opening his computer.

 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Hey, are you busy?

He chewed on the cap of the pen while he waited for a response. A few seconds later an ellipsis popped up. Stiles waited with bated breath.

 **SmarterThanYou:** Nothing that can’t wait, dear boy. What’s up?

Stiles smiled at his own surge of relief. He leaned forward eagerly as he typed out his reply.

 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Do you have Skype? I have a question about something in this book, but it would be a lot easier if I could just show you.

For several long minutes there was no answer. Stiles wondered if maybe Peter was actually busy. Or maybe Stiles had overstepped? He was just about to apologize and tell Peter to forget it when a new message popped up.

 **SmarterThanYou:** I can’t say that I have ever used it before. Give me a moment while I set it up.

Stiles’s breath escaped in a gust. He hadn’t even realized he’s been holding his breath. He smiled as he pulled up the program on his own end.

 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Of course. Just let me know when you pick a username and I can set up the call.  
**SmarterThanYou:** I hope you don’t mind if I turn off the video on my end.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Doesn’t bother me any. Why? Are you naked or something? :P  
**SmarterThanYou:** Haha. No.

There was a long pause. Stiles looked down at himself, then scrambled to change into a clean shirt. He checked around the room, but there wasn’t anything embarrassing lying out. He had just done laundry and cleaned up this morning. It looked good enough.

 **SmarterThanYou:** It’s set up. Same username as this.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Cool. One moment.

Stiles clicked a few buttons and waited while the call connected. A minute later a little window popped up mirroring what his camera was seeing. He adjusted his laptop screen until his face came into frame properly.

“Hey!” He waved at the camera and smiled slightly. “Can you hear me okay?”

“Perfectly clear. And the video is clear as well. It’s nice to finally see you.”

Stiles grinned at the camera. He ran a hand through his hair in hopes of covering his sudden nervousness. “You too,” Stiles said. “Well, I mean, it’s good to hear you. You have a nice voice. Like, I’m sure you would have a huge following if you did radio.” Stiles blushed and looked down to try and cover it. He was rambling. “But, yeah, I’m sure you have a good reason not to have the video on. I totally don’t mind. I’m just thought that this would be a bit easier than typing today. Not that I mind typing. That’s been really…”

“Stiles.” Peter chuckled. “It’s fine.”

“Oh.” Stiles smiled shyly at the camera before looking away. He bit his lip to keep from rambling again. The silence stretched on for several long seconds.

“Did Cora or Derek tell you about the fire?”

Stiles blinked in surprise. He looked at the camera as if he could see Peter through it. Instead there was still just himself in a corner. “Yeah. Mr. Argent mentioned it too. It was kind of awkward with Allison and Derek for a little bit, but yeah.” He paused, not sure what this had to do with anything. “Why?”

“Did they mention my part in that night?”

“Uhhh.” Suddenly he felt even more awkward. “Yeah, she mentioned that you were the one to stop Kate. And I think Derek said you were in a coma for a couple months?”

“Yes. The fire… It was too much even for my healing abilities to cope with.” Peter’s voice was calm. He might have been discussing the weather for all the more emotion he showed. Stiles wished he had that kind of control. Even just typing out what had happened to him with the Alpha nearly sent him into a panic attack.

“It took seven months for my body to heal enough for me to regain consciousness,” Peter continued. “And several more months of physical therapy and discreet visits by healers and healing potions before I was mostly recovered.”

“Wow.” Stiles breathed out the word, at a loss for what to say to something like that. “That’s… It must have been frustrating.”

Peter chuckled. “To put it mildly, yes.” There was a rustling sound, as if Peter was moving around. Stiles wished, suddenly, that he could see Peter’s expression. “I have had several more sessions of healing, but I’m afraid there is only so much healing can do. I… Well, there is still significant scarring.”

“Oh.” Stiles leaned back in his chair. Everything clicked into place all at once and his mind raced at the implications of that. He knew exactly what Peter was feeling. He licked his lips and thought about what to say. “I don’t… That kind of thing doesn’t… wouldn’t bother me.” He looked directly at the camera and tried to impart on Peter how earnest he was about that. “I….” Stiles took a deep steadying breath. 

“After the Alpha, I have scars too.” His hands were shaking slightly, but he hoped Peter didn’t notice. Stiles slowly lifted the hem on his shirt until Peter could see a bit of the claw marks that marred his chest. He let his shirt fall back into place. He tried to smile at Peter, but thought it might be a little too close to a grimace. “It’s made dating hard.” Stiles laughed, a little bitterly. “Not that I was exactly sought after beforehand, but…. Yeah. I can have a couple of nice dates and then when it gets to that point either I end up freaking out or they do and there goes that relationship.”

Stiles shrugged. “So, yeah. I am totally the last person that would judge anyone for their scars, but do what you’re comfortable with.” Stiles smiled at the camera again and it felt a little more normal. “I’m still really looking forward to meeting you.”

“Thank you, darling.” Peter’s voice was like a caress. It warmed something in him. “Maybe another time.”

“No worries.” Stiles bit his lip and glanced down at himself. His hand went to his chest, right over where the worst of the scarring was. “Do you still try healers and stuff?” He forced his hand away. Instead he started worrying at a loose thread at the hem of his shirt. “Would you get rid of them if you could?”

“Yes.” Peter didn’t even hesitate. “I will be the first to admit that I was quite the peacock before the fire. My scars give me a bit of prestige among the supernatural sects. But, yes, I would go back to how I looked before if I could.”

Stiles nodded. Some days he wished that he could have been like Jackson and Scott and have his wound heal without a trace when he got his supernatural power upgrade. But theirs did and his didn’t. He’d even tried his new healing potion on himself to test it and there hadn’t been any change besides healing the cut on his arm.

“You had something you wanted to ask me?” 

“Right!” Stiles startled out of his thoughts. He scrambled for his book and papers. “So, I was reading this book that you sent me.” He held up the book on runes and wards so that Peter could see the cover to see which he was talking about. He turned it so that Peter could see the page he’d been referencing. “So, I was looking at this ward. The ‘keep out’ ward.” He set the book down and flipped to a section towards the end. “And then there’s this whole section on runes and what they can do when inscribed in things.” He showed Peter the appropriate page then set the book aside. “The book doesn’t cover it, but I was wondering what would happen if you combined these two. Like what if you did the circle and the glyphs, but then threw in some runes to kind of, like, add effects or channel the intents? Does that make sense?”

Peter hummed in thought. “I suppose it could be possible. Did you have something specific in mind?”

“Yeah.” Stiles shuffled through his papers. He crumpled up some of his rejected attempts and tossed them over his shoulder, using a little spark of magic to make sure they made it into the garbage can. He smiled in triumph when he found the finished ward. “Like this.” Stiles held up the paper. He pointed to the circle that made up the base of the ward. “So, I took the ‘keep out’ ward. And then I added this.” He pointed to a rune that he had integrated into the circle. “I think this would modify it to allow pack members to enter, but others to be stopped.” He pointed at a different set of intertwined runes he’d worked into the bottom of the ward. “And these I think would give mild shocks to anyone trespassing until they left.”

He set the paper down and looked at the camera. “Or, at least, that’s what I think it would do. Can’t really test it out around here though. And apparently Delores is more of a herbs and candle magic Druid, not wards and rituals. What do you think?”

“It looks feasible to me,” Peter said. “I’m not an expert on wards by any stretch of the imagination, but i have certainly seen more complex runes than the one that is in your book.” The clacking of keys hinted that Peter was typing something. A few moments later he had a new email. “I’ve sent you Alan’s email address. Why don’t you send him a picture of your circle and see what he says.”

“Awesome!” Stiles grinned at the camera. He pulled out his phone to snap a picture of the ward. A moment later he had it attached to an email to Deaton. “Thank you so much.” He hit send with a little bit of flourish. “And sent.” 

Peter chuckled. Stiles could get addicted to that sound, warm and rich in a way that did things to him. It totally was not helping the low key crush he had going to Peter. “Did you have any other questions?”

“No,” Stiles replied. Well, that was a lie. He had so many questions. So many, very inappropriate questions he wanted to ask Peter just to hear Peter’s voice more. He would die a happy man if Peter read aloud some of the fanfiction that Stiles liked. He tried to fight down a blush. “Thanks for taking the time to listen to me ramble.”

“Any time, my dear,” Peter said. Stiles had to be blushing for sure at the endearment. He didn’t know why Peter had started with the pet names, but Stiles wasn’t going to complain. “Now, how are your classes doing?”

Stiles relaxed. He smiled, glad for something to distract him from his thoughts. “Good. Cora told you that we’re in a Mythology class together right?” He grinned at the camera, but didn’t actually wait for Peter to answer. “It’s based in the English department, but the teacher got it cross-listed with History and Anthropology so it’s really multifaceted. It’s pretty cool.” He laughed as he fished through the books around his desk. He pulled out the anthology that they were using for the class. He waved the book at the camera so Peter could see it. “I’m going to have to show this to you over the summer. Some of the stories are pretty spot on, but then there are some that are just so horribly wrong that it’s funny.”

Peter chuckled again. “I’d love to read it. How is the course going?”

“Great!” Stiles set the book down. He leaned forward with his elbows on the desk and his chin resting on his clasped hands. “I think it’s my favorite class this semester. And Cora and I have a habit of passing a notebook back and forth with a running commentary and there have been times when I’ve just about burst out laughing in the middle of the lectures.” Stiles smiled. Talking to Peter was just so easy.


	5. Chapter 5

Stiles paced in front of his desk as he waited for the Skype call to connect. He heard the telltale chime of the call connecting and dived for his chair. He shifted his screen until he was properly in the frame and shot the camera an incredulous look. 

“Did you really just have pizza delivered to my apartment?”

Peter’s warm chuckle should be made illegal. It did things to him. “You said you were upset,” Peter said. “What’s wrong, darling?” And, yeah, maybe it was just Peter's voice in general that did it for him. That man could read the phone book and Stiles would pay to listen. “Stiles?”

He blinked and ducked his head to hide a blush. “Sorry.” He scrubbed his hands over his face before looking at the camera again. “It's been a long, very shitty day.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Peter's voice was soft and sincere. 

He hesitated for a moment because, really they aren't actually friends. Or at least, Stiles isn't sure if they are or not. They talk pretty often, but it's all instant messaging and, lately, Skype calls when he doesn't feel like typing. And they don't really talk about personal things, except for the one time they talked about scars. Instead they debate magical theories and talk about supernatural creatures and even one time argued over which is the best Harry Potter book. They do talk about their respective packs, though. Peter had even checked on Stiles’s dad's recovery regularly. Stiles still hadn’t seen Peter’s face, but he realized he actually did feel pretty close to him when he stopped to think about it. 

Stiles sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. He looked at the camera again. “It started off with me oversleeping and running late for my French class,” he said. “Thankfully Allison always saves me a seat, but I still got crap about it from the teacher.” Stiles leaned back in his chair and resisted the urge to get up and pace. “So, I was already feeling kind of shitty about that. And then some asshole runs straight into me when I was talking with Derek in the hall where we both have English classes.”

He leaned to the side and pulled a shirt from his laundry pile, holding it up for the camera. “Dude spilled his coffee all over me and then yelled at me about it. Like, I was standing still, out of the way, but because he was texting on his phone and in a hurry, somehow it’s my fault that he lost his coffee.” Stiles threw the shirt down again. “It was kind of nice to see Derek lay into the guy, though. For someone as quiet as he normally is, he has this way of judging you with his eyebrows and just dryly eviscerating someone.” 

“I have taught him well,” Peter said, actually sounding kind of proud about it.

The laugh that bubbled out of him took Stiles by surprise. He had been feeling so miserable before, but now he was smiling. “Oh god, I would love to see that. Like Cora has told me stories, but still…. She still thinks you should have gone into law and used your powers for good.”

Peter laughed at that. “Between Talia and Laura, there are enough lawyers in the family, thank you very much. I much prefer my little antiquities business.” Stiles could practically hear the smile in Peter’s tone. He imagined that it was dazzling. “I hope my nephew properly shamed the idiot who ruined your day.”

“Oh he did,” Stiles agreed, “but that wasn’t even the worst of today. I mean, yeah, it sucked having to sit through my English class soaked in coffee and probably with some minor burns, but then I ran into Brandon on my way back to the Jeep.” Stiles sighed and slumped back into his chair. “Brandon is the guy I had been kind of, sort of, maybe dating? I mean, I thought we were dating. For the whole two weeks that we hung out and then he just ghosted me. Stopped returning my texts and IMs. Never saw him around campus again until today.”

Stiles looked at the camera again and managed a small smile. “I was still kind of pissed off from the coffee thing, so I confronted him about it. I didn’t realize he was with a couple of his frat buddies.” Stiles bit his lips, trying to keep it from wobbling. He took several deep breaths until he didn’t feel like crying anymore. “He didn’t hold anything back. Like, he said that he was never serious about me and how I should have put out to compensate for how boring I am.” Stiles sniffled. He looked away from the camera and ran a hand over his eyes. “He made fun of my scars.”

“What was this boy’s name again?” Peter’s voice was cold, unlike Stiles had ever heard it before. Stiles’s eyes snapped up to the camera.

He licked his lips and considered whether to answer the question or not. There was something… dangerous in Peter’s tone. “Brandon Pierson,” he answered after several long moments of silence. “Why?”

“No reason,” Peter answered, his voice perfectly casual. 

Stiles narrowed his eyes. “What are you planning?” He scrubbed at his eyes again, but sat up straighter in the chair. “You don’t have to…. I mean, Cora is already out for his blood since she found me right after it happened. And Scott too, probably.” He sighed. “It’s fine, really. It’s not like he said anything that wasn’t true.” He waved a hand down at himself. “The scars are pretty off putting and I talk way too much and I have ADHD, so I can’t sit still sometimes and…”

“No.” The single word cut off his spiraling thoughts more acutely than anything Scott or Cora had tried. He took a deep breath and tried not to think about how shuddery it still was. “Darling, you are none of those things,” Peter continued. His voice was soft and warm in a way that made Stiles’s insides into a puddle. “Your scars mean that you survived something that few would have. You are a brave, clever, intelligent, powerful boy and you shouldn’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

Stiles sniffled, close to tears again, but for an entirely different reason. “Thank you,” he said, his voice choked with emotion. He looked away and down at his forgotten plate. “How did you even know what kind of pizza I liked?”

“Derek told me.” Peter chuckled. “Though I had to send him a pizza too, because otherwise I would apparently be a horrible uncle. I would have asked Cora, but we all know she cannot be trusted with pizza.”

“So true.” Stiles burst out laughing at that. “She probably would have told you some horrible combination just to fuck with me.” He considered that for a moment. “Well, maybe not today, but any other day she would have.” Stiles picked up a piece of pizza and bit into it, savoring the cheesy, meaty goodness. He swallowed and grinned at the camera. “And you can’t trust Scott either. He likes pineapple on his pizza.” Stiles waved his piece of pizza at the camera. “Meat lovers is the way to go. Or occasionally chicken wing pizza.” He took another bite and moaned at the deliciousness. “This is so good and I didn’t have a chance to get lunch today, so thank you.”

“I’m glad you like it.” Peter paused for a moment, giving Stiles the chance to take a couple more bites. “Are you coming home for Spring Break?”

Stiles reached for his can of pop and took a quick drink before answering. “Yeah, Scott and Allison are going with her dad to some place in France for some kind of Argent Hunter meeting thing. They invited me too, but I was just planning on coming home and getting a head start on my final papers. Why?”

“Talia was planning on throwing a birthday party for Cora, since she’ll be back at school for her actual birthday.” There was something in Peter’s tone that Stiles couldn’t quite place. If he didn’t know better, he would have thought Peter was nervous, but that didn’t make any sense. “You and whichever of your pack are available are welcome. Isaac and the other betas will be there as well as most of the family.”

“Cool!” Stiles reached down to open his desk drawer. He pulled out a wrapped object. “I already got her present. Found it while I was out at the mall last weekend.” He placed the gift back in the drawer. A touch of his magic locked it again. He looked up at the camera and grinned mischievously. “Cora knows I bought something for her and she’s been snooping around my room every chance she gets. I used that modified keep out ward that I showed you last time on my desk drawer. It totally works, by the way. No one but me can open the drawer and if they try to force it, they get shocked.”

Peter laughed, deep and rich, and it was glorious. “Clever boy.” 

He ducked his head to try and hide his blush. “I try,” he said, shrugging one shoulder. “Can you email me the details for the party and I’ll see who can come?” He paused with another slice of pizza halfway to his mouth. “Is this a surprise? Because Scott’s horrible at keeping secrets, so I can’t even mention it around him if it is.”

“Not a surprise,” Peter reassured him. “It is near impossible to throw a surprise party for a werewolf.”

Stiles considered that. “Point.” He took a bite of pizza, but his thoughts were elsewhere. “I mean, I could probably do with with enough time to prepare. I’ve got my scent masking spray and I could probably do some wards to hold in sound.” He took another bite. “I wonder if there’s a spell that would make people invisible. That would be cool.”

“It would indeed, but not necessary for this. I think Talia has already asked Cora if she has any specific requests for the party.”

“Ahh.” Stiles shrugged. “An experiment for another time.” He winked at the camera and was rewarded by Peter chuckling. 

“You mentioned you were going to work on your final papers over the break,” Peter said. “Have you decided on topics yet?”

Stiles nodded. He scooted his chair a little closer to the desk and answered between bites of pizza. He relaxed as he talked about school work again. Peter actually asked pointed questions about them and seemed genuinely interested. Before long he was bouncing ideas off of the other man and jotting down notes in open Word documents. All thoughts of his previous bad day were forgotten.

*************

The week before had been dreary and wet, but by the time Spring Break started the weather had started to warm. The day of Cora's party was actually sunny and warm enough that Stiles was able to exchange his winter coat for his favorite red hoodie. It also meant that Stiles had even more choices for what to wear. He had three choices laid out on the bed, but he couldn't decide between a long sleeved Henley Lydia had bought him, one of his nicer nerd pun shirts, or a simple black t-shirt. He thought about calling Lydia, but he was already getting shit from his friends after Scott kept calling Peter his book boyfriend. The name amused Cora to no end. Stiles really hoped she hadn't told Peter about it.

“So, finally meeting Peter, huh?” Noah's voice startled him out of his thoughts. He looked over to find his father leaning against the door frame.

Stiles glanced at the three outfits laid out on his bed. He blushed. “Yeah,” he said softly. “Hopefully. I mean assuming I'm not actually cursed and end up missing him… again.” 

Noah chuckled. “Well, if you do, just invite him over for breakfast Sunday. In fact, invite him even if you do meet.”

He turned slowly to regard his father suspiciously. “Why?”

His father grinned as he pushed himself off the doorframe and brushed imaginary dirt off his uniform jacket. “I just want a chance to officially meet your boyfriend.”

“Dad!” Stiles spluttered. “Not you too! We're not dating. We haven't even met in person yet.”

“Uh huh.” Noah did not sound convinced. “Have a good time today. Wish Cora happy birthday for me.” Stiles relaxed as his father turned to leave for work. “Wear the Henley,” Noah called over his shoulder. Stiles grumbled, but did end up wearing the Henley with his red hoodie over it. 

Laura greeted him at the door to the Hale house. She relieved him of the tower of tupperware containing the cupcakes he had made, which was awesome because they were heavy. He wasn’t sure if Cora had invited any non-supernatural friends, so he had been hesitant to bust out his magic. Larua, however, balanced them effortlessly in one hand and waved him further into the house with the other. “Hey Stiles,” she greeted, unusually loud and with a glance towards the stairs. “Cora’s in the back yard with everyone else. I’ll put these on the dessert table for you.”

“Thanks.” Stiles raised an eyebrow at her weird behavior, but considering how odd her siblings were he decided not to comment on it. “The ones on the bottom are cherry vanilla and the top ones are chocolate peanut butter.” He set his bag down in a corner by the stairs and threw his hoodie into the pile of coats. It was warm enough out that he didn't think he'd need it until later. 

“Sounds delicious,” Laura said. She sniffed at the containers and Stiles had to wonder how much her werewolf senses could actually pick up through the sealed plastic. 

He followed Laura down the hall, but detoured into the library before heading outside. He was a little disappointed to find the room empty. There wasn’t even a sign that Peter had been in the room recently. Stiles slid the books he’d borrowed back into place. He took a second to update Peter’s library journal before slipping back out of the room. Stiles paused on the back porch and took in the Hale’s back yard. 

Steven was at the grill, near a veritable mountain of food laid out on one long table. Laura had added Stiles’s cupcakes to the desert table, which was also near overflowing. There were people spread around the yard with picnic tables and lounge chairs scattered about. It looked like the same crowd was here as had been at the Hale’s Christmas party. He vaguely recognized some of the relatives. Well, at least he recognized Abigail and her children. Jackson and Lydia were in a circle of lounge chairs with the the three Hale betas. Isaac was the first to spot him, poking Cora in the side and pointing at Stiles before waving him over. Stiles waved back when the others turned to look at him.

He started down the back steps and kept looking around the yard. Stiles absentmindedly added Cora’s gift to the pile on the table at the foot of the stairs. He saw Cora making her way towards him. He was looking forward to seeing her, but his eyes kept straying to everyone else. He remembered Peter mentioning that he had a scar on his face. Or, at least, that was his excuse for never turning his video on during Skype calls. Stiles kept walking across the yard towards where his friends were sitting. He would have thought it would have been easy to spot Peter, but he didn’t see anyone with any scars.

“Hey, Stiles,” Cora said when they met halfway. “Glad you could make it. How’s your dad doing?”

“Good,” Stiles replied. He finished one last scan of the backyard, but he didn’t see anyone who might be Peter. He gave a soft sigh and resigned himself to having missed him another time. Stiles turned to give Cora his full focus. “Dad’s at work tonight. Oh, and I talked to Scott earlier. They both wanted me to tell you happy birthday.”

Cora grinned at him. “How’s Scott enjoying France?” 

“He’s enjoying the scenery and stuff, but having a bit of a problem adjusting to the food.” Stiles snorted. “For a werewolf, he’s so picky. I mean, remember the time Kira tired to introduce us all to sushi and Scott…” He trailed off when he saw Cora’s gaze shift to something behind him and her grin grew even wider.

Stiles turned, curious what Cora could be looking at. Then, he caught sight of a man coming down the stairs. A man with burn scars all along one side of his face. Stiles’s breath caught in his throat. That had to be him. His brain seemed stuck on repeating ‘Peter’ over and over again. Peter didn’t seem to have noticed Stiles yet. He kept raising his nose as if sniffing for something. Peter looked up and their eyes met. Peter froze. Stiles couldn’t help the wide smile that spread across his face. He probably looked goofy and he didn’t even want to think about what the werewolves were catching from his scent. It was all he could do to keep from bouncing in his excitement. 

Behind him, Cora said something, but the words didn’t even register. Stiles felt like he was being pulled towards Peter. He started forward a step. That seemed to be the impetus that Peter needed. Peter’s face broke into a soft smile as he continued across the yard. “Stiles,” he said once he was close enough to be heard. His voice was like a caress. It made a shiver run down his back. 

“Hi, Peter.” Stiles hated the way that his voice came out a little breathy. Despite his friends’ teasing, he had managed to keep his crush on Peter to himself so far. Though, he had a feeling the way his heart was beating too fast was going to be a pretty strong clue.

"Darling.” Peter leaned in close, his nostrils flaring in a way that would have been creepy if Stiles hadn’t been hanging out with werewolves for the last few months. Stiles started to laugh, but cut off when Peter’s eyes flashed blue when the man straightened. That part was actually unusual. He looked up at Peter curiously. Peter leaned forward and for a moment Stiles thought that Peter was going to kiss him. But then Peter’s head was bending lower and his hand gently lifted Stiles’s. Peter pressed his lips against the inside of Stiles’s right wrist. 

Stiles’s brain short circuited. His magic flared at the slight graze of fangs against his skin. There was no real pressure there. Peter didn’t ever break his skin, just a hint of sharpness. But, it was like a shock ran through him. He felt his aura flare out in a tangle of whipping tails before he stomped it down. Peter didn’t let go of Stiles’s hand as he straightened. He seemed entirely too pleased with himself.

It took Stiles’s brain a few stuttering seconds before he realized the significance of what had happened. He looked down at his wrist, his right wrist, which Peter was gently caressing with his thumb, then up at Peter. “You…” Peter had been following a scent across the yard. One that lead him to Stiles. “I…” He had even sent Stiles a book that detailed just this moment, but Stiles must be wrong. “But…” He blinked and looked back down at their joined hands. “Really?”

Peter’s chuckle was just as amazing in person as it was over Skype. Even better, in fact, because there was no sound distortion. Stiles was pretty sure his knees were going to go weak. “Yes, Stiles.” Peter raised his other hand and ran it in a gentle caress from Stiles’s cheek down his neck to his shoulder. Stiles felt himself blush at the touch. It was blatant scent marking. “I would like to court you,” Peter said, his gaze focused on Stiles as if they were alone and not in a yard full of werewolves and Druids and whatnot. All of whom were probably staring at them.

Stiles felt like if he blushed any more he was actually going to burst into flame, which was a legitimate concern given how his magic could be. He licked his lips and was surprised at the way Peter’s gaze narrowed in on the movement. Peter’s eyes grew darker for a brief moment. Stiles hesitated. “Are you…” He glanced to the side and, yup, everyone was staring at him. His shoulders hunched and he resisted the urge to curl into himself, maybe invent an invisibility spell. He glanced at Peter then down again. He kept his eyes on their shoes when he spoke again. “Are you sure?” His voice was barely above a whisper, as if that would keep the werewolves around them from hearing. Stiles hunched a little more. “I mean, I’m not exactly…” He waved a hand to try and encompass all of his faults from his scars to his mess of a life to his average looks and horrible fashion sense. 

Peter placed a fingertip under Stiles’s chin and gently forced him to meet Peter’s gaze. “I am certain,” Peter said. His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. “You are my Mate, Stiles, if you’ll have me.” Stiles swallowed nervously as Peter’s blue eyes flashed supernaturally blue again, just for a brief second before returning to normal. “I should have torn that boy limb from limb.”

His brain made the connection instantly. “Wait,” he pulled back enough that he could turn to look at Cora. She was watching them with rapt attention. He was surprised she hadn’t found popcorn somewhere. “I thought Cora had…” He turned to look at Peter, his eyes growing wide. “You’re the reason that Brandon runs away whenever he sees me now?”

Every last murmur of conversation in the yard stopped. Peter tensed. He glanced away briefly before looking at Stiles with a resigned expression on his face. He met Stiles gaze when he answered. “I may have suggested it was in his best interest to never speak to you again,” Peter said casually.

Stiles blinked while his brain processed that. He saw Peter’s expression start to slide into a polite mask. The man’s shoulders tensed. Peter took a step back and Stiles couldn’t help himself. He launched himself at Peter. Stiles wrapped his arms around Peter and buried his face in Peter’s chest. “Thank you,” he said, his voice somewhat muffled by the soft fabric of Peter’s shirt. “Best present ever.”

Peter chuckled. Stiles could feel the vibrations under his cheek and it was awesome. “Does that mean you accept my courtship?”

He didn’t want to move, but the book had been very clear about the formality of this moment. Stiles reluctantly let go of Peter and drew back enough to look at Peter. He smiled shyly at the wolf. “Yes. I’m honored.”

Whatever reply Peter may have had was cut off by cheers. The loudest one came from Cora behind him. He was knocked forward into Peter when she collided with his back. Her arms were wrapped around his shoulders, but Peter’s hands had come up to Stiles’s hips to steady him so Stiles couldn’t find it in himself to mind. He reached behind him to pat Cora and try to get her to let go. Her arms tightened for a moment. Then, she let go and Stiles could breathe again. 

Stiles stumbled back a step, only to be drawn into another hug. “I’m so happy for you both,” Laura said. Her voice was choked with emotion. She released Stiles, but then immediately latched on to Peter. He had such a resigned expression on his face that Stiles couldn’t help giggling. Peter turned and raised an eyebrow at him, but there was no real heat in his glare. It just made Stiles laugh more. 

“Stiles,” Talia said, appearing suddenly over Laura’s shoulder. She reached forward and pulled him towards her, pressing a kiss on each of his cheeks. “Congratulations.” 

Before Stiles had a chance to respond, she was moving on to draw Peter into an embrace and Abigail was taking her place. For several long minutes it was like there was an unending line of Hale relatives, most of whom he didn’t even remember the name of. The betas even took their turn after the crowd around them died down. Erica piled on him much like Cora had while Boyd and Isaac just clapped him on the shoulder. 

Stiles glanced over at Peter and blushed when he saw the man looking at Stiles as well. Peter turned back to the lingering relatives. “I think that’s enough congratulations for now,” Peter said. His voice was dry and with a slight edge to it. The crowd dispersed, for the most part. Cora just rolled her eyes. She shooed their friends over a little ways away, but they were obviously still sticking around in case Stiles embarrassed himself more. Stiles shot them a look. Lydia was particularly unimpressed. She gave a pointed nod towards Peter as if to say ‘stop looking at me and look at your hottie.’ Which, point taken.

He turned back to Peter only to find the man drawing something out of his pocket. Peter took Stiles’s right hand again. Time seemed to slow down as Peter brought Stiles’s hand up to his lips, not once breaking eye contact as he pressed a kiss onto Stiles’s skin. Stiles remembered doing far more sexual things in the past with less of a reaction. Something about the intimacy and Peter’s intensity made Stiles blush so much that he was sure his neck was red. 

Peter chuckled. He leaned forward until his lips brushed against the shell of Stiles’s ear. “I look forward to seeing how far that blush goes.”

And that was it. He was dead now. Stiles was surprised his magic didn’t just manifest in flames right then and there. It took a minute for his brain to reboot. When it did, Stiles registered something different. He looked down at his wrist. There was a bracelet there that hadn’t been there before. Stiles blinked in confusion as he raised his arm up to get a better look. The bracelet was made of some thin cord braided around a few wooden beads. Stiles poked at one of the beads with a finger. There were protection charms engraved into the beads.

Stiles looked up at Peter, then down at the bracelet, then back at Peter. The man had had the bracelet in his pocket. It could have been something Peter had owned for awhile, but it looked new. Stiles didn’t think this was the kind of thing that the man carried around for no reason. There was only one conclusion he could draw. “You knew?”

Peter tilted his head and gave a small shrug. “I suspected.” As if it was the most natural thing in the world to carrying around a gift for your Mate just in case your hunch was right.

“How?” Stiles spluttered. “I mean, we’ve never met.”

“Scent,” Peter answered, tapping at his nose. He leaned in close and breathed in deeply. “We can always tell our Mate by their scent.”

Which, yeah, he remembered Scott mentioning something like that when he’d first been around Allison after the werewolf thing happened. But, then again, Scott’s experience was probably pretty different than that of a born wolf. Stiles didn’t remember Scott going through any of the stuff that had been described in the book Stiles had read. 

Stiles ran a finger over the bracelet. The magic in it melded with his own in a way that was comforting. “Thank you.” He looked up at Peter and then away again. His eyes fell on the dessert table. “Um… Wait here a second? Please?” Stiles hurried over to the dessert table, ignoring the amused looks from the Hales on his way. He wasn’t sure which flavor of cupcake Peter would prefer, so he grabbed one of each.

“I made these,” he announced oh so brilliantly as he held the cupcakes up to Peter. Behind him, he heard Cora’s breath catch in excitement. He shot her a look before turning back to Peter. 

Peter considered the two cupcakes for a moment before taking the cherry vanilla one. Stiles watched with rapt attention as Peter carefully peeled back the paper. Peter took a bite and made a pleased noise. “This is very good, Stiles.”

“Thanks.” Stiles couldn’t seem to look away when Peter’s tongue flicked out to lick a bit of frosting off his fingers. He was really fucking jealous of that frosting all of a sudden. Stiles absently held the other cupcake behind him. As expected Cora pounced and danced away cackling in glee.

Peter’s eyes were warm when he looked back up at Stiles. His eyes flicked over Stiles’s shoulder, probably at whatever face Cora was making, before settling back on Stiles. “You know, I think I remember you asking for a book,” Peter said. His hand settled at Stiles’s elbow and his touch was light as he steered Stiles towards the house. “Why don’t you come show me which one it was again?”

Stiles swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat. “Uh huh.” Apparently he had lost all ability to think around Peter. He was just glad that they had had a number of intellectual discussions before now, because otherwise he would be worried about the kind of impression he was making on the man. 

As it was Peter just drew Stiles up the steps and down the hallway. Stiles was actually a bit surprised when they ended up in the library. Then Peter closed the door and Stiles heard the lock click. He half turned towards Peter, not sure what he was actually going to say. Before he could think of anything, he was suddenly pressed against the door. The wood was solid against his back as Peter leaned over him. Peter nuzzled into his neck, drawing in several deep breaths before he pulled back.

“I’m going to kiss you now,” Peter announced in that low, sultry voice that melted Stiles’s insides. Peter’s nose twitched and he grinned, probably smelling exactly what kind of effect his voice was having on Stiles.

Peter leaned down slowly. He seemed to be giving Stiles plenty of opportunities to say no or to pull away, but Stiles didn’t want to do either. Instead, he lifted his arms to circle Peter’s neck. Their lips touched. The kiss was nice, sweet even. Just a simple press of lips against lips. Peter drew back and Stiles licked his lips as if he could somehow taste Peter there. Peter watched the motion hungrily. His eyes flashed and he dove in again.

The second kiss was even better. One of Peter’s hands buried in Stiles’s hair and titled his head into just the right position. Peter licked at Stiles’s lips until Stiles opened under him. His other hand settled on Stiles’s hip, holding him in place. Peter stepped even further into Stiles’s space until he was plastered against Stiles’s front, pressing him back against the door. It was easily the best kiss that Stiles had ever had. Stiles was left panting for breath by the time Peter drew back.

Stiles let his head thunk back against the door. His eyes slid closed as he tried to catch his breath. Then there were lips on his neck, hot and wet and with just the hint of teeth. Stiles tilted his head to the side to give Peter better access and was rewarded with a low growl. Peter latched onto a spot at the base of Stiles’s neck and he couldn’t help the needy noises that escaped his lips. Peter was nipping and sucking at the spot in a way that was most definitely going to leave a mark. The fingers in Stiles’s hair tightened, as if he could even think about moving away. Instead he was pretty sure he had just discovered another kink or dozen.

His last two remaining brain cells sparked together. “Are…” Stiles gasped at another nip. His hips jerked forward, providing him with delicious friction against the leg Peter had between his own. He blinked his eyes open and tried to focus on forming coherent thoughts. “Are you marking me?” 

Peter’s lips let go of the spot that they had been working on. Stiles felt Peter’s chuckle even as the man’s breath ghosted over Stiles’s neck. Peter’s lips pressed another kiss just behind Stiles’s ear before nipping at that spot as well. “Yes,” Peter said when he drew away again. “Does that bother you?”

Stiles started to shake his head, but the hand in his hair held him still. He closed his eyes and tried to bite back a groan. That should not be as hot as it was. But, apparently he now had a hair-pulling kink. Peter’s teeth, still mostly blunt but with the slightest hint of fang, grazed up and down his neck. And a biting kink. He shifted slightly, but Peter’s bulk still had him firmly trapped against the door. Which, another new kink. Maybe it was just a Peter kink.

“Nope,” he answered finally. His voice sounded breathy and wrecked even to his own ears. “Carry on. All yours.”

Another low growl and Peter’s hips rocked forward into Stiles’s. “I like that,” Peter said softly. “Mine.” His lips found Stiles’s again, practically devouring him in his intensity.

Stiles was so hard that it hurt. He rocked his hips forwards before catching himself and trying to hold back. The book he’d read had been very clear of the ceremonies and gifting and other traditions surrounding a proper courtship, but it had been less clear on whether or not it was acceptable to jump each other’s bones right away. And he really hoped Peter wouldn’t think less of him, but he really wanted to suggest that they continue this conversation somewhere a little more horizontal. Stiles pulled back to gather his breath and spotted one of the wide, high-backed chairs on the other side of the room. That would work too. 

“God, you’re hot,” Stiles said, hiding his blush by resting his forehead on Peter’s shoulder. “Can we…”

The door behind him vibrated as someone pounded on it. Stiles jumped forward, clinging to Peter as his shields came up around them. “Stiles! Peter!” Cora shouted through the door. “Put your clothes back on and come watch me open presents.” 

Stiles sighed. He pressed his face into the fabric of Peter’s shirt as his nerves slowly calmed. “Coming,” he called back.

“You better not be coming in there,” Cora called back. Then cackled. Because she was evil and enjoyed making Stiles blush.

“Not like that.” Stiles half turned towards the door. “We’ll be there in a second.” 

Peter’s arm around his waist kept him from moving very far. Stiles tried to will down his blush as he looked up at the other man, but Peter wasn’t actually looking at him. Peter’s free hand was trailing along the inside of the shield that Stiles had reflexively called up. “Sorry,” Stiles muttured. The shield disapparated with a thought. Only then did Peter turn to look down at Stiles. He couldn’t quite gauge what the expression on Peter’s face meant. “I can be a bit jumpy,” Stiles said. He nervously rubbed a hand against the back of his neck. “Sorry.”

“No problem, kitten.” Peter leaned forward to press a soft kiss to his lips. 

Stiles couldn’t help smiling into the kiss. He rested a hand against Peter’s chest even as he pulled back from the kiss. Stiles could feel muscles there, solid under the soft fabric. He licked his lips and wished he had time to explore that more. He forced his gaze up to Peter’s blue eyes again. “The pet names are just going to get worse, aren’t they?”

“Yes,” Peter promised with a grin. His eyes lingered on Stiles’s neck. 

“I look like I’ve been mauled, don’t I?” Stiles ran a hand over his neck as if he could feel the marks that were sure to be there. Peter’s smug smile was all the answer Stiles needed. He sighed as he took a step to the side, out from between Peter and the door. Stiles adjusted himself in his pants. He closed his eyes and focused on unsexy thoughts until he was sure he wasn’t hard anymore. When he opened his eyes again, Peter was watching him, clearly amused. “Shush,” Stiles said, poking a finger into Peter’s chest. “This,” he waved a hand at his neck and down towards his crotch, “is all your doing. I am going to get teased so much for this.”

Peter held open the door Stiles, motioning for him to go ahead of Peter. “I’d be happy to tease you more later as well,” Peter muttered as Stiles passed in front of him. Stiles squawked in surprise when a hand groped his ass. He looked back at Peter, but the werewolf just raised an amused eyebrow at him.

“This conversation is to be continued,” Stiles said before they stepped outside. 

Sadly, he didn’t get any more alone time with Peter at the party. His friends gave him shit for his apparently numerous hickies and the werewolves at the party were looking amused at the scents that had to be all over him. Peter stuck close to him, often with a hand resting on Stiles’s shoulders or lingered on his lower back. But, besides one long, lingering kiss goodbye, there was no more making out. 

He did manage to convince Peter to come over for breakfast the next day, like his father had asked. But, he certainly didn’t feel comfortable doing more than giving Peter a few chaste kisses with his father there. At least Noah didn’t give him too much shit about the turtleneck that Stiles was wearing despite the warmer weather. He didn’t seem fooled at all. Then, Stiles had to head back to Berkeley in the afternoon.

 **TalkNerdytoMe:** I’m back at the apartment.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** This sucks by the way.  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Why are you so far way?  
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Ugh. I am being so needy right now. Ignore me.  
**SmarterThanYou:** I think it’s precious, darling.  
**SmarterThanYou:** The semester will be over soon enough.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait between updates! I expect to have the story wrapped up next chapter, which hopefully won't have quite as long of a wait. For those that are smut averse, you might want to just skip the second half of this chapter. You can probably figure out at what point.

**TalkNerdytoMe:** Omg. Wendigo are fucking terrifying.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** Well, yes….  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Those teeth though.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** I mean the books talked about it, but seeing it in person….  
 **SmarterThanYou:** What happened?  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Chris found a family of them living not far from town.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** To many missing person reports with no bodies found.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** And why were you there?  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Well, I mean, that's kind of what we do now, I guess.   
**TalkNerdytoMe:** Chris usually takes at least Allison when he has jobs nearby. So she can get more training in.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** If it's just a werewolf, then he refers to the local Alpha, but other things are shared between the Hunters and the pack I guess.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** He decided to take you and Allison to face a fucking wendigo?  
 **SmarterThanYou:** I think he and I need to have words.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Scott, Jackson, Kira, and Lydia were there as well.   
**TalkNerdytoMe:** He doesn't like to rely on our pack often, but we help when we can.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** There were some witches last semester and a red cap a month or so before Spring Break.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** It's easier when the wolves can sniff things out.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** And the rest of us are pretty badass too, thank you very much.   
**SmarterThanYou:** My apologies.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** I didn’t mean to offend you. I'm just not fond of the idea of you in danger.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Okay. I guess I can understand that.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** But, I like being able to help when I can.   
**TalkNerdytoMe:** I’m kind of… good at it?  
 **SmarterThanYou:** Are you thinking of becoming a Hunter when you finish school, darling?  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** No. Probably not.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** I mean, it’s okay to help out every once in a while.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** But doing it all the time would be kind of terrifying.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** And now that Allison is in college, Chris is pretty much always travelling.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Like, apparently they moved pretty frequently growing up, but now it’s ALL the time.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** Hunters do tend to go to where the problems are, not the other way around, dearheart.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Yeah. Not the life for me.  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Like a bit of travel, sure. But I like the idea of being able to see my dad frequently. And the pack. And, well, you.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** I would like that as well.  
 **SmarterThanYou:** But, first you need to pass your History test.   
**SmarterThanYou:** Go study. I’ll be here when you’re done.

The next afternoon there was a Priority delivery to his apartment. Stiles was amused to find a spelled iron knife and a book on defensive magic inside. There was no note, but he could guess who it was from. Courting gift number two, apparently.

*************

“Stiles!” Cora’s voice was all the warning he had to brace himself. She landed heavily on his back, throwing her arms around his neck. If he hadn’t been sitting he probably would be on the floor right now.

“Cora,” he greeted. Stiles closed his messenger apps and saved the paper he had been working on. Peter hadn’t been online all afternoon, so there was no point in sitting waiting at the computer anyways. He spun his desk chair around, which forced Cora to let go of him. “What’s up?”

“It’s your birthday!” Cora threw her hands up in excitement.

Stiles chuckled. “Yup, has been all day.” 

Cora pouted at him. “I’ve got a surprise for you.” She grabbed his hands, pulling him from his chair. Cora steered him down the hall. “Come see.”

“Okay,” Stiles said as he glanced around the living room. Scott, Allison, and Isaac were all grinning at him stupidly, but he didn’t see anything else. “I’m here. What’s up?”

“She left it out in the hallway,” Scott said, nodding towards the front door. “Said you had to get it yourself.”

Stiles grumbled and shot a look at Cora. She loved watching him struggle with big, heavy boxes that she could have easily moved herself. Apparently it was hilarious. “If it’s a box of rocks again I am spelling each and every one to hit you,” he muttered as he approached the door. Stiles pulled the door open. He blinked in surprise to find a pair of shoes on the door mat, not a box like he’d expected. A pair of shoes that were attached to a pair of legs that were attached to… “Peter!” Stiles launched himself at the werewolf, who caught him easily.

“Happy birthday, darling,” Peter said. One arm settled under Stiles’s thighs, holding him up easily. Peter stepped forward and closed the door behind him as if he wasn’t even hindered by Stiles attached to his front. Which was so hot. Peter chuckled. “I’m glad you think so,” Peter said, pressing a kiss to Stiles’s cheek. 

Stiles blushed. He hadn’t meant to say that part out loud. He let his legs fall from where they had wrapped around Peter’s waist. Peter gently supported him until Stiles’s feet were solid on the floor again. “I can’t believe you came up to visit.” He leaned up and pressed a kiss to Peter’s lips. Stiles would have lingered there, but a throat cleared behind him.

When he turned around again, there were suddenly presents, pizza, and a cake on the kitchen table. “Guys, you didn’t have to get me anything,” he said, even as he drew closer. Stiles leaned down to sniff the cake. “Is that the one with the coffee flavored icing?”

Scott clapped him on the back, thankfully mindful of his strength or Stiles would have gone face first into the cake. “Yup, from the bakery down on First Street that you like.”

Stiles pulled Scott into a one armed hug. “Thanks, bro.”

“Erica and Boyd had to work,” Cora said. She set down a stack of paper plates while Isaac started to pull cans of pop out of the fridge. “But they wanted to wish you happy birthday as well.” 

Stiles felt Peter come up behind him, his hands resting on Stiles’s hips. He shot Peter a shy smile over his shoulder. “What kind do you like?” Stiles asked, waving a hand at the pizza boxes.

Peter was a distracting line of heat pressed up against Stiles’s back. He leaned forward just a bit more to consider the boxes on the table. “Meat lovers is the way to go, I hear,” Peter said. He pressed a kiss to Stiles’s neck before pulling away. 

Stiles avoided looking at the others as he loaded up two plates with slices of pizza. His face felt hot. He had to be blushing so much right now. He chanced a glance up. Yup, his friends were not going to let him live this down. Stiles grabbed the plates and retreated to where Peter was sitting on the couch. He handed Peter one of the plates before settling down beside him. 

Cora set the pile of presents on the coffee table in front of Stiles. She perched on the arm of the chair Isaac was in, accepting her own plate from her Mate. Cora waved towards the presents with a slice of pizza. “Open and eat,” she ordered. “Some of us have eight am classes.”

Stiles snorted. “I told you it was a poor life choice.” He took a big bite before setting his plate to the side. Stiles reached for the present on top of the pile. He turned it over in his hands. “From Scott and Allison,” he announced as he tore into the paper. Stiles smiled. “Nice!” He turned to show Peter the box of small glass bottles. “I’ve been making just a few potions lately. These will come in handy.” Stiles grinned as he carefully set the box aside. “Thanks guys.” 

Isaac and Cora had each given him a book on mythology. A brightly colored envelope revealed a Star Wars birthday card from Erica and Boyd that also held a gift card to one of the local restaurants that Stiles liked. The biggest package was from Peter. Stiles was a little surprised to find fabric in the box. He quickly wiped any remaining pizza grease from his hands before touching the dark blue material. A navy suit jacket apparently. Underneath that was a grey shirt, a slim blue tie, and matching navy pants. He glanced up at Peter. “You bought me a suit?” He held up the jacket to his torso. It looked like it would fit, quite well in fact. “How did you know my size?”

Peter grinned, a twinkle of mischief reaching his eyes. “I have my ways,” he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. 

Cora laughed. “Fashion is one of Peter’s weird obsessions,” she said, laughing again when Peter shot her a look. “Don’t question it. Just resign yourself to being his personal dress up doll from now on.”

Stiles smoothed a hand over the fabric. It was soft, probably expensive. He carefully set everything back in the box. “Thank you.” Stiles leaned over to give Peter a quick peck on the cheek before turning to pick up his pizza. He looked over at Cora. “We all know that my fashion sense is horrible. Peter is just saving you all from my future bad choices.” 

That startled a laugh out of the rest of them. Stiles leaned into Peter’s side and let the others carry the conversation for awhile. It didn’t take the werewolves long to polish off the three pizzas. Then Scott and Allison passed around slices of cake, which Stiles appreciated cause he didn’t have to move from his spot and he got delicious cake. Stiles let out a little moan of appreciation around a mouthful of coffee frosting. Next to him, Peter chuckled. 

“Should I be jealous of the cake, dear?” Peter’s voice was full of amusement. 

He stuck his tongue out at Peter before turning back to his cake. “Coffee. Frosting.” Stiles took a pointed bite. 

“Yeah,” Scott said with a laugh. “It’s dangerous to get between Stiles and that cake. Might risk losing a finger.” 

Stiles glared at Scott. “Uh uh. I would share with Peter.” Suddenly a forkful of cake appeared in front of his lips. Stiles smiled up at Peter as he ate the offered cake. Peter’s eyes flashed blue for a second when Stiles licked his lips. Stiles blushed, but happily accepted another bite. He ignored the gagging sounds from Cora and Scott’s laughter. Instead, he pressed closer to Peter and focused on his cake.

Once his cake was finished, Stiles forced himself to pull away from Peter’s warmth to gather up the empty plates and plastic utensils and toss them in the garbage. Then he was up so he figured he should at least stack the empty pizza boxes behind the garbage can. 

“Stiles,” Allison scolded, “it’s your party.” She came into the kitchen to shoo him back towards the living room. “We can clean up.”

“It’s fine.” Stiles rolled his eyes. He did go into the living room, though it was to pick up his gifts off of the coffee table. He held out his free hand to Peter. “Want to help me put these away?”

Peter didn’t need to be asked twice. He took the small stack of gifts from Stiles. “Lead the way.” 

Stiles led Peter past the kitchen and into the hallway that led further into the apartment. He waved a hand at the doors as they passed. “Bathroom is over here, then Scott’s bedroom down at the end of the hall.” He stopped at the middle door. “This one is me.” He stepped inside, turning to take the gifts from Peter and set them on his desk. 

Peter sniffed the air as he took in Stiles’s bedroom. “What’s wrong, darling?” He turned to look at Stiles, piercing him with those intent blue eyes. “Has something been bothering you?”

Stiles looked away to try to cover the blush that was heating his cheeks. “It’s nothing. Exams.”

“He’s worried about finding the right courting gift to give you,” Cora said from the doorway. She waved a hand innocently at Stiles when he glared at her. “He’s taking the whole mating ritual thing really seriously and is insufferable.”

“I think it’s cute,” Allison said as she appeared behind Cora. She propped her head on Cora’s shoulder so she could lean into the room “It’s sweet to worry that much over the perfect gift.”

“Nope, definitely insufferable,” Scott teased, suddenly there as well. 

“Enough,” Stiles snapped. He gently pushed them back with a wave of magic and them waved his hand to shut the door before they could come back. Just to be sure, he locked and magically sealed it as well. Stiles glanced over at Peter and his blush only got worse. He hadn’t realized how locking them in the bedroom, alone together, would look. “I didn’t mean…” He waved a hand between the two of them. “I just wanted them to…” He glanced at the door. “I can unlock it.”

Peter’s hand on his arm stopped him before he could take more than a step. “It’s fine, kitten.” He drew Stiles back towards him. Not that Stiles resisted the pull. Peter wrapped his arms around Stiles and he just melted into Peter’s chest. Stiles let out a contented sigh. This was what he had been looking forward to all night.

“Whatever you get me will be perfect,” Peter said. He slowly ran a hand up and down Stiles’s back. 

Stiles nodded, though all it really did was rub his cheek along the fabric of Peter’s shirt. “How long are you staying?” 

One of Peter’s hands slowly trailed up Stiles’s back while the other settled low on his hips. “I was planning on staying the weekend,” Peter said casually. His lips split into a grin when Stiles jerked backwards to stare at him in surprise. “I have some business to take care of tomorrow while you are in class,” Peter continued, “but then I thought I could pick you up from here. Scott assured me that you had no plans this weekend.”

“I don’t,” Stiles confirmed. He glanced back at the door. “Scott kept saying I should keep the weekend open so that we could do something, but never got around to telling me what that was supposed to be.” He looked back up at Peter. “I take it you are my plans.”

Peter bent down until his lips brushed the rim of Stiles’s ear. “Oh, I plan to do many things to you.” Stiles felt his face heat. That sounded…. Oh god he hoped Peter meant what he was implying. Stiles glanced over at his small bed and grimaced. It was decent enough for him, but it would be a bit cramped with two of them in it. He hadn’t really considered the possibility of someone staying over when he bought the bed, just that it was cheap. “I have a hotel room nearby,” Peter said. “More privacy there anyways.” Peter nodded his head towards the closed door.

And yeah, most of his friends were werewolves, so that was a fair consideration. Stiles licked his lips. “I… uh.... Yes,” he said. “I’d like that.”

“Lovely.” Peter took a step backwards, using his grip on Stiles to draw him across the room. Step by step they shuffled along. Peter’s lips quirked into a grin when he reached the bed. He didn’t take his eyes off of Stiles as he sat down on the edge. His firm grip pulled Stiles forward until he was straddling Peter’s hips. One of Peter’s arms wrapped around Stiles’s waist, holding him steady, while the other sank into Stiles’s short hair and guided him down for a kiss. Unlike their kiss earlier, this one was gentle. A barely there brush of lips before Peter drew back. “I’ve missed you, darling,” Peter whispered against his lips.

Stiles couldn’t help surging forward. His arms wrapped around Peter, clinging as if the man was going to suddenly leave. “Missed you too,” Stiles breathed in between kisses. “Missed you so much.” His hands were moving of their own accord, feeling the firm line of Peter’s shoulder, down his back, up into his ridiculously soft hair. “Can’t wait for the semester to be over.”

Peter chuckled as Stiles kissed him again and he found that he loved that sound. Hands tangled in his hair, holding his head still. “Shhh.” Stiles didn’t even realize he was making a pathetic whining noise until Peter started to press soft kisses to his face. “We’ve got plenty of time, my love. No need to rush.” Peter’s mouth moved to gently kiss down Stiles’s jaw, lingering at his neck. There was a faint hint of fang and Stiles couldn’t help moaning at that. “Going to take my time with you tomorrow,” Peter promised. “Show you exactly how you are meant to be treated. My darling. My mate.”

“Yours.” Stiles’s eyes fell closed. He was trapped by Peter’s strong grip. Could barely even rock his hips against the fabulous abs he got hints of under Peter’s shirts. But, if Peter kept licking and biting at his throat like that, he didn’t think he’d mind. God, he could probably come from just this. “Fuck,” Stiles muttered. He bit his lip to try to keep back a moan, but it didn’t really work. “Your voice.” He gasped when Peter bit harder, working towards a probably very impressive mark on Stiles’s neck. “I think you could just talk me to orgasm. Christ.”

“Oh, really?” Peter placed one last kiss to Stiles’s neck before drawing away. Stiles blinked his eyes open to find Peter looking down at him with a truly smug look on his face. “I suppose we will have to try that sometime.” Peter raised an eyebrow at him before drawing him even closer into his body. “I think you’d like to hear what I have planned for you, Stiles.”

Peter’s voice had taken on a smooth, silky tone that made Stiles shudder. He licked his lips to try to get moisture into his suddenly dry mouth. “What...” He had to swallow to get his throat to work. “What did you have in mind?”

Peter tsked and tried to put on a stern expression, but the amusement in his eyes gave him away. “Now, dear, that would ruin the surprise wouldn’t it?” Peter shook his head. “Or maybe, I’ll let you decide. Which would you prefer?” Peter’s voice dipped low and Stiles shivered. “Maybe I should take my time, hmm? Discover every inch of your body with my hands and mouth. Slowly work my way inside of you one finger at a time until you’re little more than a ball of need. Until the only thing you can remember is my name and all you can do is beg for more?”

Stiles was not ashamed of the whimper he let out. He was pretty sure he was so aroused he was losing brain function with the massive relocation of all the blood in his body further south.

“Or,” Peter drew out the word as he leaned closer. His breath ghosted over the shell of Stiles’s ear. “Would you prefer me to hold you down and fuck you into the mattress? Pound into you until you scream my name?”

And he was dead. Blue screen of death. Hard reset required. “Both,” he managed to squeak out. “Definitely both.”

“I like the way you think,” Peter said in a low voice. He pulled Stiles down to thoroughly devour his mouth. Stiles moaned into the kiss. His hips rocked forward without any conscious permission from Stiles. He was so hard it was starting to be painful. Peter’s hands slid down and down until he was palming handfuls of Stiles’s rear. He pulled Stiles snug against him. Stiles whimpered when that caused a delicious bit of friction. He rocked forward again and this time Peter moved with him. “That’s it,” Peter urged in between kisses. “Just like that.” 

It only took a few more thrusts before Stiles was coming. He clung to Peter as he shook apart. Once his brain started to come back online, he registered the feeling of Peter’s hands rubbing up and down Stiles’s back and soft words being whispered into Stiles’s hair. He tucked his face into Peter’s neck. Stiles let his eyes drift closed as his breathing slowly evened back out. All the while Peter held him close.

He leaned back and grimaced at the sticky feeling in his boxers. Stiles blushed at the smug look on Peter’s face. “Did you…” He nodded down between their bodies. “Umm….”

Peter pressed a soft kiss to the corner of Stiles’s mouth. “Don’t worry.” His voice was deep and rough and somehow still sounded like pure sex. “I’m good.” Peter’s hands went down to Stiles’s hips, easily lifting him up. Peter rose to his feet. He held Stiles steady for a moment, which was appreciated since his legs felt like they’d gone boneless. Stiles could guess that this was Peter starting to make a gracious exit, but he didn’t want the man to go just yet. He wrapped his arms around Peter and rested his forehead on Peter’s shoulder.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Stiles hated how uncertain his voice sounded. How needy. 

“Of course.” There was no judgment in Peter’s tone, only warmth. “Your last class ends at four, correct?” Peter waited for Stiles’s nod to continue. “I’ll pick you up at five then. We can go have a nice dinner and then I’m yours for the weekend.” Stiles managed not to cling when Peter took a step backwards. He had to wonder what the werewolf was picking up off of him. His nerves? Lingering arousal? Something else?

Peter pressed a finger under Stiles’s chin and gently guided his head up until Stiles was meeting his gaze. “Despite what I said before, we don’t have to do anything more than spend time together, darling.” Peter leaned forward and kissed Stiles softly on the forehead. “I won’t be mad or disappointed or any of the things you are worried about. We can do as much or as little as you are comfortable with.”

Stiles nodded. He forced himself to smile in what he hoped was a reassuring way. “I, um…” He glanced over at the bed and then back at Peter. “I liked that. A lot.” His second attempt at a smile felt a little more genuine. It helped that Peter looked so inordinately pleased with himself over what was essentially teenage necking. “I want that. Definitely okay with, like, all the things. Cannot stress that enough.”

“Alright, my dear.” Peter pulled him in for one last scorching kiss before moving towards the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Stiled nodded. He glanced at the door, unlocking and unsealing it with a wave of magic. Peter paused in the doorway. He nodded towards the boxes on Stiles’s desk. “Wear the suit.” With a parting wink, Peter slipped out of the room. 

Stiles heard voices down the hall and then the front door opening and closing. He looked down at himself and wrinkled his nose. Stiles grabbed a clean set of clothes and went straight for the shower. Thankfully no one else was in the hallway so he was able to avoid any teasing for the time being.

Once he was clean and his soiled clothes disposed of, he wandered back out into the living room. Scott and Allison had taken over the couch to watch a movie while Cora and Isaac were snuggled together in a chair. Stiles plopped himself down in the empty chair and avoided looking at the others.

Cora and Isaac left after the movie with only a minimum of teasing. Stiles made his circuit of the apartment, checking the locks and wards before heading back into his own room. He couldn’t help blushing when he looked at the bed. He was pretty sure he had a stupid smile on his face as he slid under the covers. 

Even though Fridays were fairly easy for him, Stiles found he couldn’t focus to save his life. All he could think about was Peter and what they might do over the weekend. He paid more attention to the clock during his last class than to the professor. As soon as the professor dismissed them, Stiles was out of his seat and jogging across campus to his Jeep. He felt like he teleported back to the apartment, but when he glanced at the clock he found he only had a half hour to get ready before Peter picked him up. Stiles took the quickest shower ever and was just buttoning up his shirt when the doorbell rang. 

“Wow.” 

Stiles blushed when his brain caught up with his mouth. But, really, the suit Peter wore looked like it had been painted on. The wolf’s hair had been carefully styled and looked so incredibly soft. And Peter was grinning that wicked smile that made Stiles go weak in the knees. “You look…” Stiles shook his head. “Wow.”

“Thank you, darling.” Peter stepped forward to press a chaste kiss to Stiles’s cheek. His hands, however, had slid downwards to caress the fabric over Stiles’s ass. “You look pretty delicious yourself.” 

Stiles forced himself to take a step backwards before he lost track of what he had been doing. “I just need a minute,” he said as he turned back to his room. He could practically feel Peter behind him. Stiles blushed when he glanced at his bed, but did not allow it to distract him. He waved a hand at his small overnight bag. “I wasn’t sure if you were going to want me to stay overnight with you,” Stiles explained, “or if you were going to drop me off back here tonight.” Stiles looked down at his shirt, fumbling at the last two buttons. “But, I figured I should grab a few things just in case. I mean, not that I was presuming, but I just…”

A gentle kiss cut off his rambling, which was probably for the best. When Peter pulled away, he batted Stiles’s hands away from the shirt and took over buttoning it himself. “I would love to have you all to myself this weekend,” Peter reassured him as he reached for the tie. Peter’s fingers were sure and steady as he worked the slim fabric under the collar of Stiles’s shirt. He had the tie done quicker than Stiles had ever managed before. Peter smiled as his hands smoothed down the fabric of the tie. “Relax, sweetheart.” Peter pressed a soft kiss to Stiles’s forehead. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, remember.” 

“Right.” Stiles took a deep breath and then another to calm his nerves. He stepped away to shrug on the suit jacket. That he was able to get on without any problems. Before he could pick up his bag, Peter had scooped in to pick it up.

“Is this everything?” Peter asked.

Stiles took one last look around the room before nodding. He led the way out of the apartment and was proud that his hands only shook a little when he locked up. Peter’s hand rested on the small of Stiles’s back as they walked out of the building. It was only that slight pressure that kept Stiles moving when he saw the fancy sports car parked outside. He blinked up at Peter when the man led them towards it. “This is yours?”

Peter smirked as he reached past Stiles to open the door for him. Stiles ran his hands over the leather seats as he slid in. He heard the trunk open and closed and then Peter was climbing in the driver’s side. 

He had expected Peter to peel out, but the werewolf just pulled away from the curb at a normal speed. Peter kept his eyes on the road as he expertly wove through the streets. Stiles noticed that they were moving away from the campus neighborhood and towards the city proper. Peter seemed to know exactly where he was going, which made Stiles wonder how familiar he actually was with the area. Before he could ask, he was startled by the feeling of Peter’s hand resting on his thigh. Stiles looked down at the hand, and then over to Peter, then back down. It wasn’t even particularly close to Stiles’s groin, but he could feel the heat and weight of it. It felt like a promise.

Before he knew it they had pulled up in front of a fancy restaurant that Stiles hadn’t even heard of let alone been to. Peter opened the car door for Stiles, helping him out before handing the keys over to a valet. Stiles followed uncertainly as Peter strode into the restaurant. A quick word with the hostess and they were being shown to a table near the back of the restaurant. Peter even held out a chair for Stiles.

Stiles bit at his lip as he looked over the menu. There weren’t prices on anything. He glanced up at Peter, but the man didn’t seem bothered at all. In fact, he seemed perfectly in his element. “I, umm…” Stiles glanced down at the menu in his hands, unable to quite look at Peter. “I’ve never been to any place like this. It’s not really in my price range,” Stiles admitted.

Peter gently pulled one of Stiles’s hands away from his death grip on the menu. He leaned forward and placed a kiss against Stiles’s knuckles. Peter didn’t let go of his hand afterwards, either. He just lowered their clasped hands to rest against the table. “Well, then, I hope this will be the first of many such experiences for us,” Peter lightly squeezed Stiles’s hand. “I can assure you that I live quite comfortably.” For a few moments, Stiles looked over the menu, but it seemed like half of it was in French and there were a few words that he didn’t even recognize and he cooked a lot. “I can recommend a few things if you’d like,” Peter suggested.

“Yes, please.” Stiles let out of sigh of relief. Another time, he would probably be all for figuring out what all of the new things were, but not today. Today he was a bundle of nerves that was barely held in check by the feeling of Peter’s thumb caressing over the back of his hand.

It turned out that Peter had excellent taste. The chicken dish that he recommended was amazing. Stiles was pretty sure he moaned at least once during the meal. Not that Peter seemed to mind. Despite his fears, Stiles managed not to make an idiot of himself during dinner. All too soon the plates were cleared away and Peter was signing the check with a flourish. But, that just reminded Stiles of what else was on the agenda for the night.

Stiles felt his nerves growing as they pulled into the parking garage at the hotel. Peter once again took control of Stiles’s bag. His hand rested on Stiles’s back as they walked the short distance to the elevator that took them up high into the hotel. Peter only drew away to fish a keycard out of his pocket. 

Peter held the door open for Stiles, giving him space as they walked into the room. Stiles looked around with curiosity. The room was larger than what he was used to in the motels and cheap places Stiles had stayed at in the past. There was a little sitting room with a couch and desk and plush chairs with a separate door leading into the bedroom. Through the far windows, Stiles vaguely noted a nice view, but his attention was arrested by the frankly huge bed that took up the majority of the room. 

He startled when he felt Peter’s hands rest on Stiles’s hips. Peter pressed a kiss to Stiles’s hair. “We don’t have to do anything,” Peter reassured him. “We can watch television if you’d like, or I can show you some of the books I picked up today.”

Stiles slowly turned around in Peter’s grasp. He forced down his nerves as he reached up to wrap his arms around Peter’s neck. Peter’s eyes were warm, but there was no pressure there. Stiles used his grip to pull Peter down into a kiss. Peter’s arms wrapped around him as they kissed. Slowly, Stiles’s nerves started to be replaced with a growing warmth. He pulled away to catch his breath and tucked his face into Peter’s shoulder. Stiles lowered his hands to wrap them around Peter’s back instead.

“I want to,” Stiles admitted. “I want you so much. But, I’m not…” He pulled one of his hands away from Peter’s warmth to motion towards his chest. “It’s a lot for people to deal with.”

The chest under his cheek rocked as Peter chuckled. “I think, out of anyone, I can fully understand that, darling.” Peter pulled back until he was able to look Stiles in the eyes. There was a sad smile on Peter’s face that Stiles wanted to kiss away. Peter grasped one of Stiles’s hands, drawing it up to rest on the scarred skin along the side of his face and holding it there. “You have never so much as blinked at my scars,” Peter pointed out. “That by itself would make you precious to me, but there is so much more to you, Stiles. My clever boy. My perfect Mate.” 

Stiles swallowed down a sudden wave of emotions. The sincerity in Peter’s voice was almost too much. He didn’t trust himself to talk, didn’t think he could get any words out around the lump in his throat. Instead, he scrambled to pull his hand out of Peter’s grasp. His hands tangled in Peter’s shirt, yanking him closer. 

The kiss, when their lips collided together, was fierce, full of all the passion that he couldn’t bring himself to vocalize. Whether it was the kiss or Stiles’s scent, Peter seemed to pick up on what Stiles was trying to convey. The wolf growled and Stiles shivered into the kiss. He pushed at the fabric of Peter’s jacket insistently until the barrier disappeared and Stiles could feel the silky material of Peter’s shirt. 

He had to untangle his arms a moment later when Peter returned the favor, but that just allowed him to focus his wavering attention on Peter’s buckle. Before he could get very far, Peter was batting his hands away. The werewolf moved quickly. He had Stiles’s belt and pants undone in a matter of seconds. Stiles had to awkwardly shuffle to kick his shoes off, but it didn’t take him long to be free of them and his pants. No sooner had he stepped free than Peter was on him again. Peter’s hands grasped at Stiles’s thighs, lifting him easily. Stiles made a noise of approval in between heated kisses. He wrapped his legs around Peter and sank his hands into Peter’s hair. It really was as soft as it had looked. 

Stiles squawked in surprise when Peter tipped them down onto the bed. He found he didn’t really mind the change of position too much. Not when it led to Peter between his thighs and his weight pressing Stiles down into the mattress. He was panting by the time Peter pulled away. Stiles fingers stayed buried in Peter’s hair as the man started to kiss his way down Stiles’s chest. Peter’s nimble fingers were making quick work of the buttons of Stiles’s dress shirt. His tie had disappeared at some point without Stiles even noticing.

“Ah!” Stiles arched up off the bed when Peter’s mouth clamped onto one of his nipples. He had to force himself to let go of Peter’s hair before he pulled too hard. Instead his hands fell to the side to grip at the soft sheets under him. 

“Is this alright?” Peter asked even as he kissed his way across Stiles’s chest. His tongue lingered at the top of one of Stiles’s scars, tracing the lines as he exposed more and more skin. 

“Yes.” Stiles’s voice was little more than a breathless pant. No one had ever treated his scars like that. Like they were something sexy. But, damn if Peter wasn’t making Stiles question every negative thought he’d had about them. He hadn’t even realized the skin there would be so sensitive. Or maybe it was just Peter’s mouth that was magic. 

Peter spent several long moments mapping the lines of Stiles’s scars with his tongue before moving back up to bite teasingly at Stiles’s collarbone and shoulder. His hands lifted Stiles briefly to strip him of the shirt and then Peter was back. Stiles grumbled at the feel of fabric against his bare chest. He started to work at the buttons of Peter’s shirt even as he turned his head to the side to allow Peter better access to his neck. Stiles made a triumphant noise when he finally got the shirt unbuttoned. He pushed at Peter’s shoulder until the man took the hint, pulling away long enough to toss the shirt aside. Peter barely paused in his mission to cover Stiles’s neck with biting kisses that were sure to leave marks. Not that Stiles minded. He was more than content to run his hands over the exposed skin of Peter’s shoulders, chest, and back. The scarring on the right side of Peter’s face continued down his shoulder and side, providing an odd contrast between the silky smooth skin or the rest of Peter’s body, but Stiles didn’t mind at all. He just wanted to feel every inch of Peter’s skin against his own.

A finger slid under the hem of Stiles’s briefs, lightly teasing at the skin there. Peter rose up on his knees and looked down at Stiles with a predatory look. His hands smoothed down Stiles’s hips and over his thighs before sliding back upwards. “Okay?” Peter asked as he gave the fabric of Stiles’s briefs a pointed tug.

Stiles licked his lips. Peter’s eyes followed the movement hungrily and, wow, that was an ego boost. “You too,” Stiles said. He glanced down at Peter’s pants before looking back up at Peter’s blue eyes. “Want to feel you.” 

Peter leaned down to kiss Stiles. The kiss was hot and devouring in just the right way to melt Stiles’s brain. By the time Peter pulled away, Stiles felt like little more than a puddle of need. And they hadn’t even gotten their pants fully off yet. He was embarrassed to find himself whining when Peter pulled away. But the man had only moved to the edge of the bed to remove his shoes. Stiles reached for Peter only to have his arm caught. Peter pressed a biting kiss to the inside of Stiles’s wrist before releasing him again. 

Stiles’s eyes grew wide when Peter shed his pants. The man was… quite nicely endowed. His scent must have showed his interest because Peter’s smile grew into a very smug smirk. 

“Soon, my dear,” Peter assured him. But the man frustratingly moved away from the bed, not closer. Stiles pushed himself up on his elbows to watch as Peter pulled open the drawer of the nightstand. He blushed when a tube of lube was tossed onto the bed next to him. Peter pulled out a strip of condoms and quirked an eyebrow questioningly. 

Stiles looked over at Peter in confusion. “I thought werewolves couldn’t carry diseases.”

Peter chuckled, clearly amused. “Not everyone enjoys the mess.”

“Oh.” Stiles’s face heated and he was sure he was flushed bright red. He didn’t even have to consider that for very long. “I… I don’t mind.” 

Peter’s smile grew predatory. He tossed the condoms back in the drawer before starting to crawl forward across the wide bed. Peter leaned down, his breath hot against Stiles’s still clothed cock as he spoke. “You’re just perfect for me, aren’t you, darling?” Peter pressed a kiss to Stiles’s hip even as his fingers hooked into Stiles’s briefs and drew the fabric down. 

With the last bit of fabric gone, Stiles found his nerves starting to return. He didn’t have very long to dwell on that, though. He arched off the bed with a shout when he was engulfed in the hot, wet heat of Peter’s mouth. Stiles swore as he tried to keep from moving his hips too much. His hands fluttered between Peter’s hair and the bed sheets, unsure where was safe to touch. 

Peter pulled off slowly, rising up on his knees to look down at Stiles. His eyes flashed supernaturally blue for a moment before returning to their normal icy blue. Peter gently grasped Stiles’s wrists and pulled them up until they were pinned on either side of Stiles’s head. Stiles couldn’t help testing that grip. Peter didn’t even budge and Stiles moaned at the show of strength. He was securely held without it hurting at all. 

“Yes,” he murmured in answer to the unspoken question in Peter’s intense gaze. He moaned again when Peter rolled their hips together. His eyes fell closed at the sensation, but Stiles forced them open again. He wanted to see every moment of this. 

“Keep these here,” Peter ordered, putting just a hint more pressure on Stiles’s wrists. 

Stiles nodded frantically. “Yes. All yours.”

“Mine,” Peter agreed in a growl that held just a hint of fangs. Stiles felt the slightest prickle of claws before Peter’s hands moved away. The fingers that trailed down his chest were purely human, though. 

Peter kissed his way down Stiles’s chest and over his stomach. He laid soft butterfly kisses on Stiles’s hips as blunt human nails trailed down Stiles’s thighs. Stiles only had the barest hint of warning before Peter was sucking him down again. Stiles’s fingers gripped the pillow on either side of his head in an effort to keep his hands in place. “Peter,” he whined, not even sure himself what he was asking for, just that he wanted more.

He was so distracted by the way Peter was sucking his brains out that he almost didn’t notice the pressure of a wet finger at his entrance. Stiles’s hips jerked in surprise before they were pinned by Peter’s free hand. Peter slowly teased his finger around Stiles’s rim without once slowing the bobbing of his mouth up and down Stiles’s dick. It felt like forever before he felt the finger slip inside him, just enough to tease before drawing out again. Peter’s finger slid in just a little bit more on the next push before pulling out to circle his rim again. Then it was back again, pushing deeper before retreating again and again until Peter’s finger was fully sheathed within Stiles. It had been a while since Stiles had last been fucked, but he couldn’t help relaxing against the delicious sensation of something sliding in and out of him paired with the heat of Peter’s mouth. If anything, it was too good. 

“Stop,” he bit out in between moans. 

Peter’s hand froze in place even as he pulled off of Stiles almost comically quickly. “What do you need? Am I hurting you?”

Stiles rolled his head from side to side and tried to resist the urge to fuck himself down on the finger still in him. “Too much,” he whined. His hips ignored his brain, rocking just a little bit to try and get more friction inside of him. He needed… Stiles shook his head again to clear it. “Don’t wanna come yet.” He clenched his hands, proud that he’d managed to keep them in place despite the way Peter was shattering his ability to think. “Want… Need you in me.”

“Oh, yes.” Peter’s finger pulled out entirely and Stiles whined at the loss. The sound changed to a purely wanton groan when two slick fingers pushed back in. 

“Yes.” Stiles braced his feet against the bed and lifted his hips up to give Peter better access. Peter rewarded him by curling his finger just enough to drag along Stiles’s insides. Stiles shouted when Peter hit the bundle of nerves inside him. His hips jerked, seeking out the sensation again. “Please.” He needed…. “More. Please.”

“I’ve got you darling.” 

Distantly, Stiles felt fabric under his hips and something propping him up, but he couldn’t focus on that, not when Peter was pressing a third finger into him. Not when the stretch felt so good. He was pretty sure he was chanting an unending string of ‘please’s broken up by gasps and moans. Stiles barely had time to protest Peter pulling his fingers away before something bigger was pressing at his entrance. 

He moaned, loud and filthy as Peter slid into him. His eyes fluttered closed at the amazingly full feeling. “Peter,” he gasped when he felt hips snug against his own. Stiles rocked his hips, impatient for more. He heard Peter chuckle, but then lost all track of anything outside of himself when Peter’s hips snapped back and forward in a hard thrust. “Yes!” This was everything he’d always wanted. There would be time for slow and gentle later, but right now he needed this. He needed Peter’s fingers digging bruises into his hip. Stiles needed the faint hint of claws on his skin. He needed the brutal pace Peter was setting while somehow managing to hit Stiles’s prostate with every amazing thrust. Stiles was so close….

Stiles shouted when Peter’s hand wrapped around his cock. It barely took two more thrusts before he was coming hard enough to see stars. Peter fucked him right through the orgasm and onto the other side. Stiles whimpered at the brief oversensitive feeling before the pleasure started to build again. Peter slowed his hips just enough to make the sensations bearable without actually stopping. He kept moving his hand torturously up and down Stiles’s cock as it started to fill again. 

“Peter,” he whined, though he wasn’t sure if he wanted to ask for Peter to stop or to never stop. Probably the later. Stiles thought he might tear the pillowcase with how hard he was gripping it. His hips were jerking of their own accord, rocking him up into Peter’s grip and then back onto his thick cock. It wasn’t often that Stiles could get hard again this soon after coming, but Peter was inspiring. Peter kept up a steady pressure on Stiles’s prostate that just sent explosions of pleasure and pain into Stiles’s brain. He blamed all of this on Peter. Stiles didn’t have any kinks anymore. Peter was his kink. 

It felt like an eternity and at the same time not nearly long enough before Peter’s hips were speeding up again. Stiles managed to rub two brain cells together long enough to concentrate. “Want you to come,” he begged. “Please.” 

Peter bent over Stiles to lock their lips together. “Mine,” he growled as he pulled away. 

Stiles nodded emphatically. “Yours,” he promised. Stiles tilted his head up and to the side, baring his neck for Peter. That was apparently all the invitation Peter needed. He leaned forward again to sink thankfully human teeth into Stiles’s shoulder. Peter’s hands were suddenly pinning Stiles’s wrists to the bed again as his thrusts took on an almost violent pace. Stiles couldn’t complain though. Not when each thrust made Stiles’s cock brush up against Peter’s glorious abs. Stiles was coming again before he even realized how close he was.

He felt Peter’s hips stutter as he was still floating in an orgasmic haze. He vaguely registered Peter’s mouth moving away to press kisses on Stiles’s neck and face. Stiles felt Peter release the pressure on his wrists, but could only manage to flop them uselessly in Peter’s direction. He let himself drift, just for a minute.

The feeling of a wet clothing over his privates brought Stiles blinking back to reality. He tiredly turned his head to see Peter sitting on the side of the bed. The man gave Stiles a fond smile before leaning forward to press a kiss to Stiles’s forehead. Stiles managed to rouse himself enough to help Peter get them both settled under the covers. Then he curled up against Peter’s side. He rested his head against Peter’s chest and let his eyes drift closed again.

“How are you feeling?”

Stiles blinked his eyes open and glanced up at Peter. “I’m good,” he slurred. He probably had the dopiest smile on his face right now. 

Peter’s hand slid down Stiles’s back, gently kneading at the muscles there. “Not too sore?”

Stiles couldn’t help grinning at that. “I’m going to be sore tomorrow,” he announced, “and it’s going to be glorious.”

The chest under his cheek rocked as Peter laughed. “If you say so, sweetheart. Might need to wait a bit before doing that again. I was harder on you than I would have liked.”

“No,” Stiles grumbled sleepily. He wrapped himself more firmly around Peter. “Want you to fuck me up against the wall. And bent over that desk. And wanna ride you.” Stiles considered his mental list for a second. “Wanna do all the things.” 

Peter chuckled again. His hand came up to stroke through Stiles’s hair. Stiles blinked sleepily. It was getting harder to keep his eyes open. “Whatever you want, love.” Stiles opened his mouth to respond, but lost the train of his thought as sleep pulled him under.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally finished! Thank you to all of you who have patiently waited for chapter updates. I hope you enjoy this final chapter.

Stiles hit the send button on his email with a flourish. He threw his hands up once the email was on its way. “Last paper submitted,” he stated to the empty room around him before opening up his messaging app and sending that message to Peter. The wolf wasn’t online, but Stiles was sure he’d be happy for the update when he checked his phone next.

He looked around his room, but found himself eager to get away from the computer now that his semester was over. Scott still had two more finals, but maybe he’d still be up for a lunch break or something. When he wandered into the living room, he wasn’t surprised to find Scott sitting at the coffee table, books spread out across the surface in front of him and a small pile on the floor next to him as well. Allison was curled up in a chair, tapping away at her phone. 

“I am officially done for the semester,” Stiles announced as he flopped himself down on the couch behind Scott. 

“I thought you had a paper due in a couple days,” Scott said with a small pout on his face.

Stiles waved a hand back towards his room. “Got it done early,” he said, his lips twisting into a smug smile. “Peter already proofread my paper last night. Didn’t even take me that long to do his corrections.”

Allison looked up from her phone with a smile. “Nice! I still have a statistics test on Friday, but I’m not worried about it at all. Scott has…” Whatever else she was going to say was cut off by her phone ringing. She shot Scott an apologetic look as she rose from her chair. “It’s dad,” she explained. She swiped at the screen to answer the call and nodded to the doorway. “I’ll take it in the hall so you can keep studying.”

Scott and Stiles exchanged a glance as Allison walked out of the apartment. Once she was gone Scott groaned. He fell forward to plant his face in the open textbook. “I have an eight am final tomorrow. I really hope that isn’t a Hunter thing.”

Stiles sat up so that he could pat Scott on the back. “I think Kira’s mostly done with finals,” he said. “We can probably manage without you. I’m sure Chris will understand.” He fell back onto the couch and pulled out his phone. “Maybe it’s just a normal call, checking in, you know.”

“Yeah.” Scott nodded, but didn’t seem very convinced. He turned back to the Chemistry book in front of him and Stiles let the subject drop while they waited.

**TalkNerdytoMe:** Hey, you free this afternoon?  
 **FoxyNerd:** Yeah. Was planning on taking a break before I start reviewing for my Lit final.  
 **FoxyNerd:** What’s up?  
 **TalkNerdytoMe:** Chris called. Waiting for Allison to come back in to see if it’s a thing.  
 **FoxyNerd:** I’ll get changed just in case. Can be ready in 10.

Stiles looked up from his phone when the door opened. He leaned over the back of the couch and waited for Allison to speak. She grimaced as she pocketed her phone, which was not promising. Her expression turned apologetic when she looked up and saw them both watching. “Dad is tracking a wolf and could use some extra help.” She walked closer until she was standing over Scott. He started to rise, but she gently pushed him back down. “He said it’s just an omega. You can stay here and study, but he could use Stiles and I to help flank.”

“No problem,” Stiles said as he hopped up from the couch. “Kira’s free too, so we can swing over to her dorm on our way.” 

He didn’t hear Allison’s reply as he jogged back down the hall. Stiles flipped open the trunk under his window. His go bag was sitting right at the front, packed and ready to go with all the potions and first aid supplies that he might need. He also grabbed the knife Peter had given him. As he walked back towards the living room, he shot off a message to Kira. 

**TalkNerdytoMe:** It’s a thing.

Allison was waiting by the door with Stiles’s reinforced jacket in her hand. Stiles shrugged on the jacket, taking his time to zipper it up before making sure he had his phone, wallet, and keys as well as his bag. Once he was done patting his pockets, he turned to look at Scott. “We’ll grab some pizza or something on our way home,” he promised. He pulled out his phone when it vibrated.

**FoxyNerd:** Will be waiting in front of the dorms.

“Okay.” Scott looked torn between staying and studying and coming with them, but apparently the need to not fail his final won out. “Keep me updated. I can ride my bike over if it turns out you need me.”

“We’ll be fine,” Allison promised as she shooed Stiles out the door.

“Kira’s waiting for us.” Stiles carefully set his bag in the back of the Jeep before hopping in. “Can you GPS us to the location?”

Allison nodded, tapping away at her phone as Stiles quickly pulled out. A computerized voice rang out from her phone as they pulled up to the curb in front of Kira’s building. True to her word, she was standing there waiting in her own reinforced jacket, her sword in a bag in her hand. 

“What have we got?” Kira asked as she climbed into the back seat. 

“Just an omega,” Allison said, turning to give Kira a reassuring smile. She glanced at her phone and then over at Stiles. “Head southeast.”

Stiles nodded. The GPS directed them out of Berkeley, towards the small nature preserve near the highway. Stiles turned off the highway at the edge of the preserve. The directions led them into an industrial area that seemed practically abandoned. There certainly didn’t seem to be many other cars considering it was the middle of a week day. Stiles parked next to Chris’s SUV and a large pickup truck. 

“Where to now?” He looked around, but didn’t see Chris or the other hunters. 

Allison pulled up a map on her phone. She waved a hand towards one of the buildings. “Dad’s waiting for us around back. He says they’ve got the omega trapped in one of the warehouses over there.”

Sure enough, once they rounded the large building, he saw Chris waiting there with two other men. The Hunters weren’t ones that Stiles knew personally, but they didn’t seem hostile. Not like some of the guys Chris occasionally worked with.

Stiles started to fish in his bag as they approached the group. He pulled out a spray bottle and set down his bag. “Ladies.” Allison and Kira spread their arms and patiently held still while he misted them with the potion. He handed the bottle over to Allison so she could repeat the procedure with him before turning to the Hunters. The two new guys were staring at him with raised eyebrows, but he was kind of used to that from Hunters by now. “Scent blocking potion,” he explained as he sprayed Chris. Seeing their leader put up with the treatment seemed to get them past their wariness though. They raised their arms and let Stiles spray them as well. 

Once that was done, he tucked the bottle away and pulled out two more bottles. One he handed to Allison and the other to Chris. “In case we get split up,” he told them. “I’ve got more in my bag if we need them.” At the other men’s curious look he turned to them. “Healing potions,” he explained. “Not going to cure mortal wounds, but it helps with the smaller stuff.” He pulled the strap over his head and settled his bag on his hip. “Good to go,” he said. “What’s the plan?”

Chris nodded towards the warehouse behind them. “We’ve blocked all of the other exits with mountain ash.” Chris waved a hand at the wide door not far away. “We’ll enter here. Carter and Murphy, I want you to fan out to the right. Stiles and Kira go left and Allison and I will head down the middle. Ranged weapons only. Try to herd him towards the open area at the back of the warehouse. This wolf has already killed five people, so don’t let him get close.” Chris looked around, waiting for them all to move before hefting a heavy duty rifle.

The warehouse was definitely abandoned and definitely creepy. Stiles glanced over at the others as he and Kira started towards the left side of the building. Kira had her sword in her hand, while Stiles pulled out one of Lydia’s special exploding molotov cocktails. He tucked the protective wrapping in his pocket while carefully gripping the neck of the bottle. It only took a few minutes before they were out of sight of the others. Their side of the building was mostly offices. 

Stiles took a deep breath as he pulled open the first door along the wall. A wave of his hand sent a ball of light into the room, which turned out to be completely empty. Stiles breathed a sigh of relief. Kira opened the next door, which turned out to also be empty. As was the room next to that and the bathroom next to that. Stiles couldn’t help growing more tense with each door that they opened, sure that the next one was going to contain an angry, trapped werewolf.

A scream from the other side of the building made both himself and Kira jump. They exchanged a look before taking off running between the large machines in the middle of the building. “I think it came from over here,” Kira said. Her body was starting to glow with electricity, but it wasn’t nearly enough to see by. 

He sent his ball of light zooming forward when he saw the vague outline of someone ahead of them. The werewolf flinched back from the light, which was all that saved one of the Hunters from getting ripped up. Stiles lobbed his bottle when he thought they were close enough. The wolf dodged, flashing red eyes at them and baring his teeth in a growl. 

“Shit,” Stiles swore. “It’s an Alpha,” he shouted and hopped that Allison and Chris heard them. 

Kira rushed forward, swiping at the Alpha with her sword and placing herself between the wolf and the Hunters. The wolf didn’t quite manage to dodge the wave of electricity that followed the sword. It howled, falling down onto all fours and backing away.

Stiles slid to his knees next to the fallen form of one of the Hunters, whether it was Carter or Murphy he didn’t know. The man had a heavily bleeding gash in his thigh. The other Hunter straightened from where he had crouched over the man. He pulled out a heavy pistol and trained it on the Alpha. Stiles trusted the other Hunter and Kira to keep the Alpha occupied. He rooted around in his bag. He pulled out a healing potion and helped the Hunter drink it down. Stiles pushed some of his magic into the wound, clearing it of any lingering infections so the man wouldn’t risk turning. He relaxed as he felt the muscle knit back together under his hand. Stiles pulled out a roll of bandages. 

The bang of a rifle announced the arrival of Chris. The wolf howled in anger and stupidly turned towards where the shot came from. That just meant he presented a wide target for Allison’s arrow. The wolf growled again before seeming to realize he was outnumbered. He turned and started to sprint towards the back of the warehouse. 

“Here,” Stiles said tossing the roll of bandages towards maybe-Carter as he popped to his feet. “You should wrap up that wound,” he called before running after the wolf. The Alpha.

A plan formed in Stiles’s head as he chased the dark form. Behind him he heard Kira following him and to the left he caught glimpses of Chris and Allison. Another shot rang out. The wolf staggered, but kept moving. There were large windows at the back of the warehouse. Stiles flung out a hand and a shield sprang into being. The wolf’s leg muscles bunched and it leapt, only to crash into the shield.

The wolf had barely managed to stagger back to his feet before another arrow hit him in the back. Another howl sounded. The Alpha staggered. He tried to escape to the left, only to run into another shield. The wolf turned, but there was a solid wall to the right and the four of them closing in from the front. The Alpha was effectively trapped. 

A shotgun blast to the shoulder caused the Alpha to slump to his knees. Chris raised his gun again, lining up a finishing shot, but Stiles stepped forward. “No,” he said sharply. He raised a hand and conjured a shield between himself and the others. “I need him.”

“Stiles,” Allison started to protest, only to be cut off when the Alpha growled. 

The wolf tried to stand, but the wolfsbane in the bullets was already working its way towards his heart. The Alpha flashed fangs and red eyes as Stiles drew closer. Stiles grinned back, though it was less amusement and more of a baring of teeth. He had been hanging out with werewolves too long….

Stiles shot forward before the wolf could react. His hand closed around the Alpha’s throat, squeezing tighter when the Alpha thrashed. He leaned down until he could use his weight to pin the body below him in place. Stiles used his grip to force the Alpha’s head up until their eyes met. He slid his magic down through his hand and into body below him. The Alpha dug his claws into Stiles’s shoulders, but it was already too late. His magic had reached that bundle of light inside the man that held all of his supernatural power. Stiles felt his own eyes flash briefly red as the power flowed into him. The Alpha’s claws retracted as his shift failed. The man’s eyes closed. Stiles let the body drop and stood.

Chris was staring at him with wide eyes, but neither Allison nor Kira showed any judgement. “Let me look at your shoulders,” Allison said. Her eyes studied the wounds as Stiles came closer. “I don’t think he went deep enough that you’ll need stitches.” Allison held out the healing potion he had given her once the shield fell away. Stiles accepted the bottle and drank quickly. He ducked away before Allison could touch him.

“I’ve got to go,” he said absently. He glanced at Chris as he brushed past the man. “You can give Allison and Kira a ride back to campus, right? Thanks.” Stiles didn’t spare them another glance. Kira called after him, but Stiles was already breaking into a jog. He slid around the corner as he raced back to where his Jeep was parked. He barely even had the seatbelt fastened and his bag tossed into the passenger seat before he was accelerating away. 

Thankfully he remembered the route that they had taken. It only took a few minutes for him to find the signs that would lead him back to the highway. He relaxed once he was on his way out of town. The further away he got, the fewer cars there were until finally he was alone. Which was good because he swerved dangerously when the first spasm of pain hit him. Stiles bit his lip. He took a few deep breaths through the pain. Logically, he knew it was just his body, his Spark, rejecting the Alpha’s power he held within him. But it still felt like he was dying. Stiles pressed down on the gas. His magic surged in answer to his will, hopefully blocking him from being picked up by cops. He’d tried the notice-me-not spell before and it had worked well enough to let him move through crowds, but he had never used it on a car before. Stiles could never tell his father about this. He would never hear the end of it if Noah found out Stiles used magic to avoid getting caught speeding. Peter probably wouldn’t be pleased either, but then neither of them would probably have approved of anything he was doing right now.

By the time he pulled into Beacon Hills, Stiles’s hands were shaking from the pain. It felt like there was a coal trying to burn its way out of his chest. He flew through the country roads, barely even slowing down as he made the turn into the preserve. He let his notice-me-not spell fall away as he caught sight of the Hale house, though they had probably heard him coming as soon as he turned onto the long driveway. 

It took him two tries to get his seatbelt unbuckled. He opened the door, but his knees buckled when he tried to stand. Only his grip on the frame of the Jeep kept him from faceplanting in the dirt. Stiles closed his eyes and tried to put the pain aside. He managed to stumble shakily up the drive at least. He had to use the railing on the front stairs to pull himself onto the porch. Two stumbling steps from there and he fell bodily into the door with a solid thump that was probably as effective as knocking would have been.

The door flew open. Only quick werewolf reflexes kept him from meeting the floor. “Stiles!?” Hands righted him and then he was looking up at Talia and Steven Hale. 

“Oh my god, is that blood?” Laura’s voice drew his attention to a point over Talia’s shoulder. It looked like the entire household was there. There were Hales along the stairs to the second floor, in the hallway, and lingering in the doorway to the living room. Stiles only cared about one.

“Peter,” he breathed out in relief. Stiles pushed past Talia and Steven. He stumbled, bumping against the wall before pushing off and wavering closer. Peter thankfully made it easier on him by meeting him halfway. Once he was within reach, Stiles grabbed a fistful of his shirt. He yanked until they were chest to chest. 

Peter’s eyes widened in surprise, but before he could say anything, Stiles smashed their lips together in a completely graceless kiss. Stiles let his eyes slip closed. He let go of the Alpha power within him and let it flow through him and into Peter. Peter jerked backwards, breaking the kiss. Stiles didn’t mind though. He was so tired. His breath escaped in a sigh. Stiles smiled up at Peter as he collapsed to the ground.

*************

Stiles woke to the feeling of fingers running through his hair. He grumbled, not quite eager to leave the floating warmth of sleep. Stiles nuzzled further down into his pillow. His surprisingly bony pillow. He flailed about with a hand to find that he was hugging a leg. The hand in his hair stilled. Stiles blinked his eyes open and looked up to find that he had been using Peter’s lap as a pillow and was hugging his leg. The wolf had a book in his free hand while the other one was still buried in Stiles’s hair.

“How are you feeling?” Peter’s voice was tight as he set the book aside on a night stand. One that Stiles didn’t recognize.

He propped himself up on one elbow in order to look around the room. It was a large bedroom, with several bookshelves, a large dresser, two overstuffed chairs, and the huge bed that he and Peter were cuddled up in. The room was decorated tastefully, if a little expensively. Stiles turned slightly to look out the windows along one side of the room. All he could see were trees for miles. 

“Is this your room?” Stiles rolled onto his back and blinked up at Peter. “How did I…” His memory started to trickle back in flashes. Hunting the Alpha with the Argents. The drive back to Beacon Hills. Kissing Peter.

Stiles bolted upright. He ungracefully scrambled into Peter’s lap, probably kneeing Peter in the side judging by the grunt the wolf gave before Peter’s hands came up to steady Stiles’s hips. Stiles reached forward with shaking hands to cup Peter’s face. The wolf graciously let Stiles turn his head to the side so that Stiles could study his now fully healed face. “It worked,” he breathed in wonder. 

“Yes,” Peter said, his voice incredibly dry. “It worked.”

He blinked at the tightness in Peter’s voice. Stiles pulled his hands away, his shoulders hunching upwards as if he could disappear into himself. “I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I thought…” Stiles shook his head, suddenly realizing how Peter must have taken Stiles forcibly healing his scars. “I didn’t….” He bit his lip, hoping that the pain would distract him long enough to retreat. Even with werewolf mating magic, somehow he still managed to fuck up a relationship. “Are you angry with me?” Stiles finally managed to ask, his eyes firmly fixed on Peter’s shirt.

“Oh, I’m angry alright,” Peter said. Stiles flinched. He tried to move off of Peter’s lap but the wolf’s hands were firmly holding him in place. “So angry that I would be tanning your ass so hard you wouldn’t sit comfortably for a week if you hadn’t just woken up from two _days_ of a near-coma.”

Stiles was sure he was blushing bright red. He hunched even further into himself. “I’m sorry.”

“Thankfully Scott called to see if you had come here or we wouldn’t have even known what happened,” Peter said. His voice was even, not giving away anything of what Peter was feeling. “Of course, this was after he had called your father.”

Stiles wondered if he was too old to be grounded yet. Probably not, where his father was concerned. Maybe he should just stay in Berkeley over the summer, wallow in his misery. Noah would probably take pity on him after finding out that Stiles has messed up so spectacularly with Peter. Cora and Derek were probably going to be pissed at him too. The whole pack probably. He just hoped they didn’t take it out on Scott and the rest of the pack.

It took him two tries to get words to come out through the lump in his throat. “I’m sorry.” His voice was barely more than a broken whisper, but at least the words came out. He squeezed his eyes closed, as if that would keep the tears from coming. “You said… I thought you wanted to be healed,” Stiles bunched his hands in the fabric of the pants he was wearing, soft sleep pants that definitely weren’t his. “I love you.” His voice broke, but he forced himself to continue. “The scars never bothered me, I just thought you wanted….” 

His words were cut off by a pair of lips. Stiles melted into the kiss. He risked glancing up at Peter when the man drew away. He didn’t look angry. “You stupid, idiotic boy,” Peter hissed. He leaned forward until his forehead was resting against Stiles’s. “If you ever, _ever_ , do something that reckless again, I am chaining you to this bed and never letting you leave again.”

Stiles felt his lip tremble. The building wave of relief wasn’t nearly enough to erase the despair of a few moments ago. He surged forward to wrap his arms around Peter’s neck and tuck his face into Peter’s shoulder. Peter’s arms wrapped solidly around Stiles. His hand started to soothe up and down Stiles’s back when Stiles started trembling with a full on adrenaline crash. He sniffled a couple times, but at least managed to not start sobbing like a baby. He was not an attractive crier. Once he felt a little more under control, he was able to ask the question that was still rattling around his head. 

“You’re not breaking up with me?”

Peter huffed, but his hands didn’t stop moving. “No, darling. You are mine.”

It wasn’t a question, but Stiles nodded anyways. He was starting to calm down a little more now that he had heard Peter say the words. He was probably going to need to hear it a few more times over the next couple days before he was fully reassured, but it still helped. “I’m sorry,” he murmured again. “I really didn’t mean to make you worry. I just thought healing you would be the best courting gift I could give you.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” Peter moved suddenly and Stiles found himself blinking up at the wolf as Peter’s eyes flashed blue. Stiles relaxed a little more at that. He would be the first to admit that there were several things that could have gone wrong with holding the power. And not just what the power could do to Stiles. Peter might not have been able to let go of the excess power after it healed him. Peter had never mentioned wanting to be an Alpha, but Stiles hadn’t been sure. He would have supported Peter if he did become an Alpha, but it would have made things so much more complicated when there were already two Alphas in the territory. 

“I appreciate it,” Peter said in between soft kisses. “I do. But I would much rather have you safe than have you do anything that dangerous ever again.”

Stiles nodded. He turned his head away, as if that would hide the tears pooling in his eyes. Stiles wiped hastily at his eyes with a corner of the shirt he was wearing. “Sorry.” He laughed a little awkwardly as he took in their position, with Peter cradled in the V of his legs and pressing him down into the mattress. It reminded Stiles a lot of their weekend in Peter’s hotel room at Berkeley, but he really wasn’t feeling very sexy right now. He rubbed at his eyes again. “I don’t mean to keep crying. You don’t need to see that.”

Peter gently moved Stiles’s hands away from his face. He leaned forward to softly kiss Stiles’s forehead. “Take all the time you need,” Peter said before drawing back. He raised up on his knees to look down at Stiles. One of Peter’s hands spread out over the exposed skin of Stiles’s stomach where the shirt had ridden up. “Granted, I would prefer if you were crying from needy desperation rather than whatever scenario your brain has conjured up that is causing your smell to twist so.” Peter slid his hands up Stiles’s chest, pulling the shirt with him until Stiles had to raise his arms or risk being trapped in fabric. 

Once the shirt was gone, Peter rolled them so that they were lying on their sides with Stiles tucked in close. Stiles was relieved to be able to hide his face away again. Peter seemed content to explore the exposed skin of Stiles’s sides and back. His fingers dug into Stiles’s muscles, gently kneading out any bits of tension that he found. 

His tears slowed and then stopped. Stiles breathed in and out slowly as his body relaxed. He nuzzled his face against the soft fabric of Peter’s shirt, enjoying the supernatural warmth the man was putting off. Stiles sighed out a happy breath when one of Peter’s hands moved lower to knead at the muscles in Stiles’s ass. It should be weird, but it felt so good. Who knew the muscles there could carry tension? 

Stiles moaned when Peter’s other hand slid underneath the waistband of his pajama pants to knead his other cheek. He shifted just a little bit so that Peter had a better angle. Peter moved with him, rolling them so that Stiles was lying on his front on the mattress. He would have complained about the lack of Peter pressed up against him, but the new position gave Peter even better access for his massage. Stiles distantly registered the feeling of fabric being pushed down his thighs. Then Peter’s hands were working the muscles there and Stiles forgot why he should care about anything else.

Peter’s hands moved expertly down the muscles of one of Stiles’s thighs to his calf and then back up to work his way down the other leg. He rubbed at Stiles’s ankles. His fingers dug into the flesh of Stiles’s feet without making him ticklish. Then Peter started to work his way back up with smooth strokes of his hands until he reached Stiles’s shoulders. By that point Stiles was a melted puddle on Peter’s sheets. He didn’t resist at all when Peter lifted his arms to massage the muscles of Stiles’s arms all the way down to his hands. He didn’t even realize you could massage hands, but it felt amazing. His eyes had drifted closed at some point, but he blinked them open again when he felt Peter working the muscles of his neck. Peter adjusted Stiles’s head and arms so that Stiles was hugging one of Peter’s pillows. 

He grumbled when he felt Peter shift on the bed. Peter only chuckled and pressed a kiss between Stiles’s shoulder blades. He leaned over Stiles, his weight heavy against Stiles’s back as he kissed Stiles on the cheek. Peter moved away again before Stiles could turn to try and catch Peter’s lips. He let out a low whine that just made Peter chuckle again.

Stiles sighed in pleasure when he felt Peter start to gently stroke up and down his back and sides again. Peter shifted Stiles’s legs next. He spread them just enough to give Peter room to kneel between them. Then his hands were back, rubbing and kneading at Stiles’s ass in a way that felt wonderful. 

A wet finger brushed against his entrance and Stiles squirmed. His hands fisted in the fabric of the pillow as Peter teased the sensitive flesh there. Peter pressed his finger in just the tiniest bit before pulling back to circle his rim again. Stiles was pretty sure he was so relaxed Peter could have just fucked into him without resistance, but Peter was clearly planning to take his time with the way he was teasing at Stiles’s hole.

“Ah.” Stiles’s breath quickened when Peter pressed in to the first knuckle. His hips shifted in a silent plea for more. He groaned when Peter’s free hand came up to press firmly against the small of Stiles’s back. Stiles tried to rock back, but he couldn’t budge against Peter’s hold. God, that was hot.

“Mmm.” Peter’s voice was a rough rumble just this side of a growl. “You like that, don’t you?” Peter twisted his hand, rotating the finger breaching Stiles without pressing in any further. Peter held his hand still just long enough to start to be frustrating before he started to slide it in and out again. Stiles moaned when the finger slid a little deeper. He squirmed against the feeling, but ultimately had to surrender himself to Peter’s teasing. 

Slowly Peter eased his finger deeper and deeper. Stiles let his eyes fall closed again. He groaned when Peter began to repeat his slow teasing with a second finger. His hands kept clenching and releasing the pillow under his head. He rocked his hips in tiny thrusts, as much as he could manage against the restraining hand on his back. It wasn’t nearly enough friction for him to actually get off, but he couldn’t help trying to get more. 

“Peter.” Stiles rolled his head so that his forehead was braced against the bed. There were two fingers rocking in and out of him now. He moaned loudly when Peter crooked his fingers in just the right spot. Each slide brushed against his prostate now. Peter was unerring in hitting that spot again and again with each long stroke. Stiles squirmed to try to get his knees under himself, but Peter just pushed down firmly until Stiles was splayed on the bed again. He didn’t even falter in his steady rhythm in and out of Stiles’s hole.

Stiles gave a frustrated shout when a third finger pressed in. At least this time Peter didn’t tease him. Peter pushed his fingers in firmly and Stiles felt the tiniest bit of burn at the stretch. Not enough to really register against the flares of pleasure Peter was causing. No one had ever fingered him this thoroughly. It was so good, but not quite enough. He needed more. “Please,” he begged. “Please, Peter.” His breath hiccupped when Peter twisted his fingers. “I can’t…. Please.”

Peter didn’t stop, but he did increase his pace. Instead of the slow leisurely strokes that were torturing him, Peter’s fingers were starting to flick at Stiles’s prostate fast and hard. But, Stiles knew how much better it could be. He’d felt Peter pounding into him and nothing else could ever compare.

As if to prove him wrong, Peter slid another finger inside of Stiles. If he hadn’t felt Peter’s thumb brushing against his rim he would have thought the man was fisting him and, god, did that thought throw a fission of fear and excitement through him. He didn’t think he could take that. Not today. He already felt so full, impossibly so. His mouth fell open and some truly embarrassing noises were coming from his mouth. He really wasn’t past begging at this point.

“That’s it, darling.” Peter’s voice broke through the haze of Stiles’s thoughts. “Just take it. So good for me.” Stiles let out a whine that was probably more in line with a wolf than a human, but Peter rewarded it with a particularly firm thrust. Stiles’s hands clenched in the pillow as his body started to tense. “Come for me, sweetheart,” Peter commanded, but Stiles didn’t know if he could. He was so close. It was… He couldn’t…

Stiles came with a scream. Peter’s fingers didn’t stop even then, milking him through the first wave and straight on to blinding pleasure. He collapsed onto the bed when the fingers stilled.

Soft kisses trailing along his spine were the first thing he registered when his brain blinked back online. The second thing was that he was lying in a massive wet spot. Stiles grimaced and contemplated rolling over. In a minute. He let out a long sigh and decided to enjoy the post-orgasmic glow for just a second. He turned his head to the side when Peter’s lips reached his neck. This time, Peter did allow him to catch his lips in a kiss. In fact, the wolf seemed quite content to drape himself along Stiles’s body and devour his mouth. 

It wasn’t long before the angle started to make Stiles’s neck ache. Stiles resigned himself to having to move. Considering the rewards was making out with Peter, he couldn’t even complain. First, he had to release his death grip on the pillow, though. It actually took a moment of concentration to get his hands to unclench. Once he’d worked some feeling back into his fingers, he was able to brace his forearms enough to raise up. It was then he discovered something else.

Peter’s fingers were still in him, holding him open.

His body reflexively clenched against the intrusion and Stiles moaned. Where Peter’s hand had pressed him down before, now there was the weight of Peter’s body. At some point Peter must have shed his clothing because Stiles could feel the heat of Peter’s flesh against his back. On the one hand the feel of Peter pressed along his back triggered something in Stiles’s hindbrain that was making him want to relax and submit. At the same time the fingers inside him were starting to move just enough to work Stiles up again. Then, Peter rolled his hips.

Peter was hard. Very hard, judging by the feel of him against Stiles’s ass. He was hard and holding Stiles open. Peter may have shorted out most of Stiles’s brain cells, but it didn’t take very much thought to figure out where this was going. 

The fingers in him drew out and didn’t slide back in. Stiles felt his muscles clenching and coming up empty. His hips rocked back. It had only been a few seconds, but he felt like he was lost without something, without Peter in him. He must have made some noise because Peter was rolling Stiles over and away from the wet spot a moment later.

Stiles blinked his eyes open and squinted against the light of the room. Peter’s amused face swam into focus a moment later. The man leaned down, trapping Stiles under him again as he took Stiles’s mouth in a hungry kiss. Stiles relaxed into the kiss. He brought a shaky hand up to run through Peter’s hair. With his free hand he found Peter’s and tangled their fingers. As they kissed, Peter rolled their hips together. It was a frustrating parody of how Peter should be fucking into him.

He used the hand he had in Peter’s hair to tug the man away and break the kiss. Peter’s eyes flashed blue in warning. Stiles didn’t look away from the challenge, though he did release his grip on Peter’s hair. He let his hands fall down to the bed. Stiles tilted his chin up and to the side, baring his neck the way he knew sent Peter wild while stretching his arms up to grip the headboard. “Fuck me,” he begged. His lips quirked into a smirk when he saw Peter’s eyes flash again at the picture of perfect submission he was presenting. “Need you in me. Make me yours. Your mate.”

The growl that Peter let out was more wolf than human. The tips of claws pricked at Stiles’s skin as his knees were forced up towards his chest. Peter’s grip was going to leave bruises from the way he held Stiles open wide. Stiles’s eyes rolled back into his head when Peter slid into him in one hard thrust. Peter’s hips snapped back and forward in a punishing rhythm that was just what Stiles needed. 

He felt himself getting hard again, but he almost didn’t care. Stiles was gripping the headboard for real now. He needed the leverage to push back against Peter, to meet his thrusts as much as he was able to. “Yes, yes.” He wished he had the brain power to tell Peter how good this felt. How much he needed it. Was going to be addicted to this for the rest of their lives. But, all he could manage was a chant of ‘yes’ and a string of curse words and pleas to any deity that was listening. Then Peter shifted so Stiles’s calves were braced against Peter’s shoulders and the angle changed in an amazing way. He didn’t think he was going to be able to walk later.

Stiles arched up with a shout when Peter carefully wrapped a clawed hand around Stiles’s aching cock. He didn’t realize how painfully hard he was until he was wrapped in a firm grip. Now he couldn’t think of much else. Each hard thrust was pushing him up into Peter’s hand in a rhythm that was melting his ability to think of anything beyond Peter and the pleasure. 

Peter’s free hand latched onto Stiles’s right arm in a tight grip. He pulled until Stiles released his grip on the headboard. Peter turned his head to press a kiss against the thin flesh of Stiles’s wrist. He pulled back to pin Stiles with his gaze. “Will you be mine?” Peter asked, his eyes flashing supernatural blue. “Will you accept me as your Mate?” Peter’s head turned towards Stiles’s wrist, making his intentions clear.

He didn’t even need to think about his answer. “Yes!” He struggled impotently against Peter’s grip on his arm. He wanted to reach for Peter, to offer his wrist to him. He struggled to form words. To try to explain how much he had been thinking about this since they actually met in person. “Yours,” he promised. “Want it. Want you. Your mate.”

Watching Peter’s fangs drop was something that he wanted to study. Sometime when he didn’t have Peter’s thick cock thrusting into him and his hand jerking him off. When all of his senses weren’t filled with an aching need for more and more. Right now, though, he was entranced by the sight of Peter’s teeth moving towards him. Despite watching it happen, the sharp flash of pain actually caught him by surprise. He felt the sting of the bite and then, an overwhelming crash of pleasure. It crested over him like a wave and pulled him under with it. He closed his eyes with a contented sigh as he passed out.

He woke wrapped around a warm body. Stiles laid there for a moment just listening to Peter’s heart beat under his ear. His right arm was curled between their bodies. It only took a little bit of wiggling for him to be able to see the bite mark on his wrist. Even his magic felt pleased at the sight. He let himself concentrate on the feeling of the bond linking him and Peter now. There was a sense of smug satisfaction resonating along the connection that mirrored his own happiness.

Stiles grumbled when the body he was using as a pillow shifted. Unfortunately the Mating bond didn’t change the fact that he was a human, so it was still ridiculously easy for Peter to manhandle him. Peter sat back against the headboard and situated Stiles into his lap. Stiles resigned himself to the new position. He was too tired to do more than cuddle up against Peter’s chest.

Peter shifted, jostling Stiles slightly and earning another grumble. Then the rim of a glass pressed against Stiles’s lips. Stiles blinked his eyes open. He raised a hand to tilt the glass, but was glad for Peter’s assistance in steadying the glass. Stiles was too fucked out to be coordinated. He tried to let go after a few small sips, but Peter nudged the glass forward until Stiles drank again. Only when he’d drank most of the water did Peter set the glass aside.

Stiles started to relax again, but something else was pressed against his lips. He opened his mouth to allow Peter to feed him a grape. He kept his eyes closed as he chewed and swallowed. Peter seemed oddly pleased to be able to feed Stiles bites of fruit and cheese. Stiles didn’t even need to concentrate on their bond to feel the contentment coming from Peter. Which, really, if Peter wanted to pamper him after fucking the life out of him, Stiles wasn’t going to complain.

“You’ve killed me,” Stiles muttered as he nuzzled closer to Peter’s neck. “Fucked me right into Heaven.”

His werewolf pillow vibrated as Peter laughed. “If you can still sass, I think you’ll be fine darling.”

Stiles hummed thoughtfully. Thoughts were slowly starting to bubble up out of the haze he was floating in. A significant amount of time must have passed since he conked out. For one thing, he was no longer covered in come. And it felt like both he and Peter were wearing pajama pants again. Plus, the water had been cold, which he supposed could have come from an attached bathroom, but he doubted Peter had a refrigerator in his room. Cause that was definitely where they were, Peter’s room full of shelves and…

His head shot up as he looked across the room. “Your private collection,” Stiles breathed in reverence. He turned towards Peter as a truly wondrous thing occurred to him. “Does this mean I can read the special books now?”

Peter burst out laughing, which was rude. Every glance at Stiles’s face seemed to set off another wave of laughter. Stiles felt his expression fall to what was totally not a pout. Another thought occurred to him. He looked down at his wrist. “Does this make you my book-husband now, instead of my book-boyfriend?”

The renewed peels of laughter from Peter were total unfair and uncalled for. But, he supposed he would have to deal with the sass from Peter. His Mate. His with all his visible and invisible scars and such an overwhelming amount of love for Stiles. It was totally worth the wait.


End file.
